The Legacy of the Three
by Mapleclaw
Summary: The Three have taken mates, and their children have mysterious powers and a new prophecy surrounding them. The Dark Forest battle has ended, the Clans are shaken to the core by their Clanmate's betrayal and no cat knows who to trust. Will the chosen cats use their new powers for good or evil?
1. I ntroduction & A llegiances

**Warriors: The Three's** **Legacy**

Hello, all. It's been about a year since I've written _Children of the Three_, and this is pretty much the same concept, but better written out with newer characters. Also, it goes with the last book in Omen of the Stars, The Last Hope. I wrote Children of the Three before The Last Hope, so I had no idea of the deaths in that book. If you haven't read The Last Hope, I would suggest you do so before reading this series, because it has the cats dealing with the deaths in each Clan.

This is twelve moons (a year) after The Last Hope takes place. Many cats perished in the Dark Forest battle, and the Clans are still suffering losses. Some cats still have trouble trusting their own Clanmates. Blackstar lost his last life to greencough and Rowanstar is the new leader of ShadowClan. Ashfoot died in WindClan and her son, Crowfeather, replaced her.

* However, with death, there is life. Tigerheart and Dovewing continued their secret affair after the Dark Forest battle, even though Dovewing was posing as mates with Bumblestripe. Soon, she became pregnant with Tigerheart's kits, although the Clan believed (and still believes) that they are Bumblestripe's. Dovewing told Tigerheart they were his and he was torn between ThunderClan and ShadowClan, so they made a compromise. Dovewing would give Tigerheart one of her kits (she was unsure of the amount, but Tigerheart was fine with one) so he could remain in ShadowClan as deputy and not be tempted to join ThunderClan. So, when she was about to start kitting, Dovewing snuck into the forest and bore them with Tigerheart by her side. They named them together and Tigerheart took Wrenkit home, rubbing her in leaves and streams to cover her scent. The Clan believed that Tigerheart simply stumbled across Wrenkit, but they knew she was Clanborn because she didn't have a rogue or kittypet scent. However, no cats questioned the birth because ShadowClan was in need of kits and mysterious births happened all the time in ShadowClan. So, Wrenkit was accepted, and Tigerheart was happy; but he's still heartbroken that he can't see his other two kits. Wrenkit (Wrenpaw, now) has no idea her mother is Dovewing and that she is part ThunderClan, she believes she is 100% ShadowClan and that Tigerheart is her father. She never questions her who her mother is aloud, but it does bother her internally.

Meanwhile, Lionblaze and Cinderheart had kits. Heathertail and Breezepelt had kits as well, and Mistystar's new kits were received happily by the other Clans. Jayfeather decided to take an apprentice, Lilystripe, and she is doing great. Bramblestar and Squirrelflight made up and became mates, and now they have kits.

Little do the Clans know, the children of the Three will have a huge legacy ahead of them like their parents. An evil, powerful force is emerging from the most unexpected place, and the Clans may be thrown into turmoil and battle once more.

The Clans finally had more than one moon of peace, but will it last?

* * *

**Current Allegiances**

ThunderClan

_Leader: _**Bramblestar** - dark brown tabby tom with amber eyes

_Deputy: _**Brackenfur** - golden brown tabby tom (temporary while Squirrelflight is kitting)

_Medicine Cat: _**Jayfeather **- gray tabby tom with blind blue eyes  
_Apprentice, _Lilystripe

_Warriors:_

**Thornclaw** - golden brown tabby tom  
**Leafpool** - light brown tabby she-cat with amber eyes, former medicine cat  
**Birchfall **- light brown tabby tom  
_Apprentice, _Leafpaw  
**Whitewing** - white she-cat with green eyes  
**Berrynose** - cream-colored tom  
**Lionblaze** - golden tabby tom with amber eyes  
_Apprentice, _Flamepaw  
**Foxleap** - reddish tabby tom  
**Rosepetal **- dark cream she-cat  
_Apprentice, _Honeypaw  
**Briarlight** - dark brown she-cat  
**Bumblestripe** - gray tom with black stripes  
**Ivypool** - silver-and-white tabby she-cat with dark blue eyes  
_Apprentice, _Firepaw  
**Cherryfur** - ginger she-cat  
**Moleclaw** - brown-and-cream tom  
**Amberflower** - gray she-cat with white paws, a white muzzle, a white right ear, and amber eyes  
_Apprentice, _ Hollypaw  
**Dewtail** - gray tom with amber eyes  
**Snowpelt** - white tom with amber eyes  
_Apprentice, _Featherpaw  
**Bluestrike** - light gray she-cat  
**Emberwing** - dark gray tabby tom_  
_

_Apprentices:_

**Lilystripe** - dark tabby she-cat with white patches  
**Hollypaw **- brown tabby she-cat with green eyes  
**Firepaw** - ginger tom with gray-green eyes  
**Flamepaw** - ginger tabby tom with blue eyes  
**Featherpaw** - silver tabby she-cat with blue eyes  
**Honeypaw**- golden tabby she-cat  
**Leafpaw** - mottled golden and brown tom with amber eyes

_Queens:_

**Cinderheart **- gray tabby she-cat (mother to Lionblaze's kits; Honeypaw and Leafpaw)  
**Blossomfall** - tortoiseshell-and-white she-cat (mother to Thornclaw's kits; Bluestrike and Emberwing)  
**Dovewing** - pale gray she-cat with blue eyes (mother to Tigerheart/Bumblestripe's kits; Wrenpaw*, Featherpaw and Flamepaw)  
**Squirrelflight** - ginger she-cat with green eyes (mother to Bramblestar's kits; Hollypaw and Firepaw)

_Elders:_

**Graystripe** - long-haired gray tom  
**Cloudtail **- long-haired white tom with blue eyes  
**Brightheart** - white she-cat with ginger patches**  
**

ShadowClan

_Leader: _**Rowanstar** - ginger tom

_Deputy: _**Tigerheart **_- _dark brown tabby tom with amber eyes_**  
**_

_Medicine Cat: _**Foxfur **- rust-colored she-cat

_Warriors:_

**Toadfoot** - dark brown tom  
**Applefur** - mottled brown she-cat  
**Crowfrost** - black-and-white tom  
**Ratscar** - brown tom with long scar across his back  
_Apprentice, _Mousepaw  
**Snowbird **- pure white she-cat  
**Olivenose** - tortoiseshell she-cat  
**Owlclaw **- light brown tabby tom  
**Shrewfoot **- gray she-cat with black feet  
**Scorchfur **- dark gray tom  
**Pinenose **- black she-cat  
**Ferretclaw **- cream-and-gray tom  
_Apprentice, _Hawkpaw  
**Falconwing** - brown tabby tom with a white underbelly  
_Apprentice, _Wrenpaw  
**Lakepelt** - blue-gray she-cat

_Apprentices:_

**Hawkpaw** - mottled brown tom  
**Mousepaw** - sandy-colored she-cat  
**Wrenpaw** - light brown she-cat with dark brown ears, underbelly, tail, and stripes with green eyes

_Queens:_

**Kinkfur** - tabby she-cat with long fur that sticks out at all angles (mother to Owlclaw's kits; Hawkpaw and Mousepaw; foster mother to Wrenpaw)

_Elders: _

**Oakfur** - small brown tom  
**Snaketail **- dark brown tom with tabby-striped tail  
**Littlecloud** - small brown tabby tom

WindClan

_Leader: _**Onestar** - brown tabby tom

_Deputy: _**Crowfeather** - dark gray tom

_Medicine Cat: _**Kestrelflight** - mottled gray tom  
_Apprentice, _Whiskerfur

_Warriors:_

**Owlwhisker** - light brown tabby tom  
**Whitetail **- small white she-cat  
**Nightcloud** - black she-cat  
**Gorsetail **- very pale gray-and-white tom with blue eyes  
**Weaselfur** - ginger tom with white paws  
**Harespring** - brown-and-white tom  
_Apprentice, _Rockpaw  
**Leaftail** - dark tabby tom with amber eyes  
**Emberfoot** - gray tom with two dark paws  
_Apprentice, _Grasspaw  
**Breezepelt** - black tom with amber eyes  
**Sedgewhisker **- light brown tabby she-cat  
**Swallowtail** - dark gray she-cat  
**Furzepelt** - gray-and-white she-cat  
**Boulderclaw** - large pale gray tom

_Apprentices: _

**Grasspaw** - light gray she-cat  
**Whiskerfur **- light brown she-cat  
**Rockpaw** - brown tom

_Queens:_

**Heathertail** - light brown tabby she-cat with blue eyes (expecting Breezepelt's kits, Galekit, gray tabby tom, and Fogkit, light brown tabby she-cat with bright blue eyes)

_Elders:_

**Tornear **- tabby tom

RiverClan

_Leader: _**Mistystar** - gray she-cat with blue eyes (recovering from kitting)

_Deputy: _**Reedwhisker** - black tom

_Medicine Cat:_ **Mothwing** - dappled golden she-cat  
_Apprentice, _Willowshine**  
**

_Warriors:_

**Heronfang** - mottled white and brown tom**  
Graymist** - pale gray tabby she-cat  
**Mintfur **- light gray tabby tom  
**Icewing** - white she-cat with blue eyes  
_Apprentice, _Shadepaw  
**Minnowtail **- dark gray she-cat  
**Pebblefoot** - mottled gray tom  
**Freezeheart** - faded gray tom with piercing blue eyes  
**Mallownose** - light brown tabby tom  
**Robinwing** - tortoiseshell-and-white tom  
**Petalfur** - gray and white she-cat  
**Grasspelt **- light brown tom  
_Apprentice, _Streampaw  
**Troutstream **- pale gray tabby she-cat  
**Mossyfur** - brown-and-white she-cat  
**Rushfoot** - swift light brown tabby tom  
**Duskfur** - brown tabby she-cat

_Apprentices:_

**Streampaw** - light silver she-cat  
**Stonepaw** - dark gray tom  
**Willowshine** - pale gray tabby she-cat

_Queens:_

**Mistystar** - gray she-cat with blue eyes (mother to Heronfang's kits; Streampaw and Stonepaw)

_Elders:_

**Pouncetail ** - ginger-and-white tom


	2. P r o l o g u e

**Prologue: The Legacy of the Three**

_* It is very important that you read the starred paragraph in the Introduction (and the introduction, but if you are going to read anything read that). It explains everything, and you will be very confused without reading it. *_

* * *

Starlight splashed over the rocks, turning them silver. The moon waned above the forest; it was a quarter-full moon. The grass rustled in the clearing as the soft breeze blew softly through them, causing them to sway as if they were dancing. The peace was broken as a ginger cat emerged into the clearing, his emerald eyes gleaming in the darkness.

A white cat with huge, black paws followed him, flicking his ears. A blue-gray she-cat and a ragged tom came after, padding into the clearing with an air of importance. The blue-gray she-cat glanced around, her blue eyes narrowed and upset. She glanced at the ragged tom. "Raggedstar," She mewed, settling down. The other three cats followed, flicking their ears uncomfortably. "I know that Tallstar, Barkface, Leopardstar and Crookedstar are not yet here; but I have one thing to ask you: how do you feel about the newest ShadowClan member?"

Raggedstar's face darkened, and he looked slightly embarrassed. His tail twitched, and he looked at the blue-gray she-cat with large yellow eyes. "I'm not proud of it, obviously; Bluestar. But what is done is done. At least ShadowClan has a representative now, instead of the majority being in ThunderClan again."

"It's not about that," hissed Bluestar. "These cats have special powers and a new prophecy that we have only heard of, and apparently it's ancient. Why didn't the Ancients tell us that, then; huh? It's about the fact that one of the Three betrayed us, and now a valuable cat is in your Clan."

"Maybe she was supposed to be in ShadowClan," The white tom with the huge paws mewed calmly. "Maybe it's all a part of the prophecy. Raggedstar's right, now everything's even. It's too bad Dovewing gave the wrong kit away, then ThunderClan would have had another advantage."

"Let's not quarrel," the ginger tom murmured, his green eyes narrowed. "There's no use. What's done is done, and I hope Dovewing made the right decision. Obviously it wasn't a smart one; continuing to mate with Tigerheart, but we can't fix the past. We have to accept it. Maybe the prophecy's ruined, but maybe Blackstar is right; maybe it's how the prophecy was supposed to be played out. We don't know."

Bluestar snorted. "StarClan was supposed to make you wiser, Firestar, but I suppose it has made your head full of stars, just like every cat around here."

A smile played on Firestar's lips. "Then what do you suggest we do, O Great One? We can't interfere. That will only mess things up even more."

Bluestar settled on snarling at her former apprentice, knowing he was right.

The bushes rustled beside Blackstar, and two cats stepped out. One had a gorgeous dappled pelt, while the other had a brown tabby pelt. "Leopardstar," greeted Firestar, nodding to the dappled she-cat. "And Crookedstar. Thank you for making it."

Leopardstar shrugged and found a seat next to Blackstar, while Crookedstar settled next to Bluestar. Finally, after a few moments, a black and white tom emerged, followed by a light brown tabby. The black and white cat had an extraordinarily long tail.

"Welcome, Tallstar," rumbled Crookedstar, waving his tail to the black and white tom. "And Barkface," The brown tom nodded. "Now we may begin; correct, Bluestar?"

"Yes," Bluestar mewed, her eyes raking the cluster of leaders and lone medicine cat. "I'm not sure if all of you saw the sign in the stars last night, but I did. It was four stars glittering in the sky. An outside star joined one of the four stars, and the star grew bigger; overtaking the others. While I was watching this, I heard a voice whisper: '_Only Four may save history from repeating in a crueler form_'. Then I saw flashes of four cats; all around the same age. They are from each Clan, and I'm guessing they're saving the Clans from some evil, but I'm not sure yet."

The clearing was silent for a moment, and then Blackstar spoke up. "You sign was an outside star over taking one star and the said star was growing larger than the other stars, correct?" Bluestar nodded. "Then, maybe it's one of the Clans. Maybe one Clan will try and gain more territory. And, if ThunderClan originally had more than one representative, it's probably them."

The other cats murmured in agreement. Bluestar looked angry, and her fur was beginning to bristle. Firestar gave her a look which seemed to calm her.

"Wait," Leopardstar mewed. "Who exactly are these representatives? And what is Blackstar talking about when he says 'originally had more than one representative'?"

"I'm not sure who they are; I only saw a face. But I know the ThunderClan - or, previously - because I was there during the birth in spirit. One of the representatives is a kit of Lionblaze and Cinderheart. Dovewing mated with Tigerheart and had three kits, but gave Tigerheart one. The kit she gave Tigerheart conveniently happens to be one of the representatives, so now ShadowClan has one," Bluestar responded. "So it seems that Dovewing's disloyalty helped us out, in a way." She cleared her throat. "However, the faces of the WindClan and RiverClan representatives were kit-faces, so they are young cats around the same age."

"Who knows what would've happened if ShadowClan didn't get a representative?" Tallstar murmured into Crookedstar's ear, who chuckled. Blackstar and Raggedstar appeared to not have heard.

"I don't understand what the representatives are for, exactly," Barkface mewed.

"Nor do I," Bluestar replied. "But we'll just have to see what fate has in store for us."

* * *

It was a freezing night. The river was frozen over and snow covered the land. The harsh wind ripped through the trees, whistling as it tore through branches. Hail hammered down from the thick clouds above, hitting everything in its path.

Mothwing was making her way through the chaos, searching for the remains of any herbs. RiverClan was running low on a few, and she needed them immediately before the pouring hail and snow killed them. Her thick fur kept her warm, but the raining hail hurt her. _I have to get out of this storm._ She knew that her safety was more important than one comfrey leaf that they had more of, so Mothwing decided to retire from the job and head home.

She was nearing the camp when she saw a light gray shape huddling in the wind. Mothwing cocked her head; confused. What warrior in their right mind would be out here in this weather? As she approached it, she realized she didn't recognize who this cat was. It's fur was a faded gray, and wasn't sleek like RiverClan cats' fur. "Hello?" She called out timidly. "Excuse me? Who are you?"

The cat turned and stared at her with pleading, icy blue eyes. "H-h-h-ello?" The cat chattered, obviously freezing. "Y-y-you l-look h-h-healthy... d-d-do y-yo-you h-h-have a-a d-d-den a-ar-around h-he-he-here? I-I-'m f-fa-freezing..." _His fur must not provide any cover... but do I take him to camp? He looks scared, and Mistystar has always said to never reject a cat that needs help, but at the same time be cautious..._

"Yes," Mothwing mewed finally, helping the freezing cat up. "I have a nice, warm den full of cats that would love to help you out. It's right around here, actually. What's your name?"

"F-f-fr-Freeze," The tom answered.


	3. O n e

**The Legacy of the Three: Chapter One**

_Wrenpaw . _

The sun was bright in the blue sky. Shafts of sunlight filtered through the thick pine trees onto the forest floor, and a cool breeze blew softly through the air. The forest was teeming with different scents and smells. It was one of the most beautiful days in the dark pine forest.

"Wrenpaw!" A dark brown tabby yowled her name. Wrenpaw ducked out of the apprentice's den and trotted over to her father, who was making patrols. Tigerheart was the deputy of ShadowClan, and because Wrenpaw was his daughter, she had a lot of respect within the Clan. She wasn't biologically his daughter, but still. He treated her as if she was; and she was happy she had a cat she could call 'dad'. Even if he was annoying sometimes.

"Yes, father?" She mewed as she approached him. He looked down on her fondly with large amber eyes and flicked his tail.

"You're on patrol with Falconwing and me. It's a border patrol to ThunderClan, and we're leaving right now." Falconwing was Wrenpaw's mentor. He was a new warrior, so he was less strict on her. Falconwing and Wrenpaw were very good friends, too. Their calm, laid-back personalities worked well together when they trained, and they hardly ever fought. "Come on," Tigerheart flicked his tail, and Wrenpaw hopped out of her thoughts-world. That was what Hawkpaw, her friend, called it. Wrenpaw thought a lot, and didn't pay much attention to reality, so cats liked to kid her about it. Wrenpaw didn't mind; she was one of the cleverest cats in ShadowClan due to her deep thinking; and being the most clever cat in ShadowClan was something to be proud of.

Falconwing was trailing behind Tigerheart, and nodded at his apprentice as she bounded forward to catch up. "It's a nice day," He mewed as the three made their way towards the ThunderClan border; dodging pine trees and fallen logs. "Maybe we can go hunting after. How does tree-hunting sound?"

"Great!" Wrenpaw mewed. Tree-hunting was the newest ShadowClan method; it involved climbing up a tree towards a bird and scaring it to the ground for another cat to catch or killing the bird there. _"If ThunderClan can hunt in trees, so can we,"_ Rowanstar proclaimed the day Wrenpaw had been made an apprentice. So, every ShadowClan cat was learning how to tree-hunt.

Tigerheart whipped out his tail, signaling for Falconwing and Wrenpaw to stop. The two halted, and Tigerheart signaled again for the two to move forward silently. Suddenly, a rank ThunderClan scent hit Wrenpaw's nose, and she almost snorted in disgust. _Don't ThunderClan cats ever wash?_ But then another thought came to her. _Wait, if I can scent them from this far away... they must be over the border!_

Without warning, Tigerheart stood up and strode down the slope. Wrenpaw glanced at Falconwing who shrugged, and the two followed Tigerheart. Wrenpaw could see four ThunderClan cats gathered below the slope, a pawstep on ShadowClan's land. And one was carrying a squirrel. _That's our squirrel, not yours, you fox-hearts!_

"Dovewing!" yowled Tigerheart, glaring at the gray she-cat with the round green eyes. "What are you doing here on ShadowClan land?"

Dovewing flinched as Tigerheart yowled her name and instantly put two smaller cats behind her. "A squirrel strayed a bit over your border, and we caught it," She admitted sheepishly. The gray tom with black stripes beside her had his hackles raised and his fur was bristled; he was glaring at Tigerheart with hatred and loathing.

"Did you catch it?" Falconwing hissed. "I thought you would've known better."

When Wrenpaw glanced back at Dovewing, she saw that the gray she-cat was staring at her with intensity. Wrenpaw took a step back, a little scared. What was this she-cat's problem? Out of the corner of her eye, Wrenpaw saw Tigerheart give her a sideways glance and glare at Dovewing. It almost looked like he was shaking his head 'no'.

"I caught it!" A ginger tabby tom stepped out from behind Dovewing, his blue eyes defiant. "And I didn't even put a pawstep over your border, I was standing right on it! I'll fight you for my squirrel if I have to!"

"Flamepaw, _no_," The silver tabby behind Dovewing mewed. "Stop fighting, just give them the squirrel."

Wrenpaw saw something flash in her father's eyes; it looked like sadness and longing. Flamepaw had been his brother's name at one point, so that was probably why Tigerheart looked so upset. Wrenpaw turned her eyes back on the obnoxious apprentice and glared at him. Usually, she was easygoing; but this was a completely different case. "Give back the squirrel," Wrenpaw mewed, approaching Flamepaw until she was nose-to-nose with him. Her gaze turned towards Dovewing. "Don't you teach your apprentices respect? It's our squirrel."

"Don't talk to my mother like that!" howled Flamepaw, hurling himself at Wrenpaw. Wrenpaw was taken by surprise when she was rammed to the ground. Flamepaw had his claws unsheathed and was flailing; trying to claw every inch of her. He was strong; but had terrible fighting technique. In seconds, Wrenpaw had him flipped over on his back and clawed his stomach. The ginger tom shrieked in pain as a thin line of blood emerged.

"Now, now!" Dovewing growled. There was horror in her eyes, and she kept glancing at Tigerheart. "There was no need to fight over this in the beginning! Stop this, now!"

Wrenpaw looked back at her father, who was watching the scene with sadness and dismay. Falconwing was watching with a smug smile of pride; and Wrenpaw knew that she did the right thing by confronting the apprentice. He was still squirming underneath her. She turned back to him and smiled. "Frankly, I'm surprised your patrol didn't help you fight me off when I was crushing you. Now, do you want me to claw your intestines out or can we have our squirrel?"

"Take the squirrel!" growled Flamepaw, glaring at her with scared blue eyes. _Coward_. "And it was my battle; not my sister, mother's, or father's! Just let me go!"

Wrenpaw let him go and he scrambled back to his family. Featherpaw was looking down, embarrassed; while Bumblestripe was still glaring at Tigerheart. "Your kit isn't even Clanborn, anyway!" He yowled. "She's filth! Rogue filth!"

"I would rather be a rogue than have a kittypet as a mother," Wrenpaw replied smoothly.

Bumblestripe turned angrily to her. "You take that back," He warned. "My son might not be able to beat you yet, but I'll claw your little ears off in a heartbeat, you piece of foxdung."

"Don't talk to my daughter in that way!" Tigerheart roared, plummeting down the hill and pinning Bumblestripe on the ground. Dovewing gasped in horror as Tigerheart clawed Bumblestripe's ear, leaving a deep 'v' in it. "You ThunderClan cats started this pointless battle over a _squirrel_! Your apprentices are arrogant, one is a coward, and one is a warrior who insults other cats but falls when other cats insult him! It's pathetic!" His eyes were boring into Dovewing. "Get out of our land, _now_." He released Bumblestripe and turned his back to the ThunderClan cats.

"Let's go, Wrenpaw. Falconwing, go ahead and tell Rowanstar of the incident. I must speak to my daughter," Tigerheart growled. Falconwing disappeared immediately. Tigerheart glanced back to the border to make sure the ThunderClan cats were gone and nodded to Wrenpaw.

"I'm sorry you had to experience that, but let me say that I'm proud of you. You stood up for ShadowClan and easily beat a bigger apprentice," Wrenpaw only saw disappointment in her father's eyes, though. "I didn't expect them to be so brutal. I'm sorry about Bumblestripe. You aren't a filthy rogue, you're my daughter." He brought her in close, and Wrenpaw rested her head on her father's broad shoulder.

"No, I'm not," Wrenpaw mewed sadly. "I'll never know who my true father is. But I'm glad to call you my father, even though you're not my biological father."

"No," Tigerheart mewed. "I am your _father_. Actually your father. You're not a rogue, or half-rogue. You're my daughter, biologically. I swear to StarClan."

Wrenpaw paused for a moment. What was he saying? "Who is my mother, then?"

"I won't burden you by revealing that yet," Tigerheart mewed sadly. "It will only hinder your preparations for becoming a warrior, which is relatively soon. I will reveal that when you're ready."

"Is the mother in ShadowClan?" asked Wrenpaw. Her curiosity piqued, she was really interested in learning who her mother was.

"I'm not giving any hints," Tigerheart mewed firmly. "I thought it was time for you to know your real father: me. But not your mother, not just yet. Don't ask me, either. And _especially _do not tell any other cat what we've just discussed. We can both get in a lot of trouble. I just..." He choked. "I didn't want you to live a life thinking you're a strange rogue because of me. You're not. You're special, and my daughter, and I love you so much. Cats like Bumblestripe don't matter; they're jealous. I'm proud to call you my daughter."

Wrenpaw smiled, feeling warm inside. She was happy to know at least one of her family members. "Thanks, Dad," She mewed softly.

It was the first time she'd ever called him that.

* * *

**AN: Sorry, short chapter. They'll get longer, I promise. Please review? I want to know what you guys thought about it :) It may have seemed really out of character when Bumblestripe said that to Wrenpaw, but he has a lot of hate & jealousy for Tigerheart, so it'd be right for him to pick on his relatives. I know I probably revealed half of Wrenpaw's parentage too soon, but it wouldn't have worked any other way to continue the story. **

**PS - There _will _be new POVs for every chapter, as you may have guessed when I put 'Wrenpaw' at the top. They'll be fun, promise. But I'm afraid their mostly apprentices & kits... for now ;)**


	4. T w o

**The Legacy of the Three: Chapter One**

_Galekit . _

"It's Onestar; he's losing a life."

The whispers carried through camp in hushed voices as cats waited anxiously outside of their dens, pacing. The whispers had been going around for awhile, though, ever since sunhigh. The patrol Onestar was on was attacked by a dog, and Onestar died in the middle of it. The rest of the patrol managed to chase away the dog while Breezepelt carried his leader back to camp. Because Onestar was older, it would take longer for him to heal from his deep wounds.

Galekit was huddled in the nursery with his sister and mother, listening to his father retell the story of what happened. Galekit had heard it a thousand times already; his father liked to boast. Today, Breezepelt was the hero of WindClan because he carried his leader's body back to camp, even though Galekit thought any warrior or apprentice would have done the same. But, he let his father brag because he knew it made his father happy, and Galekit liked seeing cats happy.

"- And then a ThunderClan patrol came bounding over and said, 'We saw the dog and wanted to help!' They saw Onestar lying there and offered to take him to Jayfeather, but I told them to chase the dog off with Whitetail and Rockpaw. They did and left, so I carried Onestar's body back, and here we are. Maybe it's taking so slow because Whiskerfur's treating Onestar, StarClan knows that cat is completely clueless." Breezepelt finished the story proudly, his amber eyes falling on his kits. "So, how was your day, Galekit and Fogkit? Anything exciting happen?"

"Not really," Galekit admitted with a shrug. They had done their usual today; beg Tornear for a story and listen. This time it had been about a cat named Firestar and how he found WindClan when they were kicked out of their homes by an evil cat named Brokenstar. Firestar was the leader of ThunderClan and passed away in the Great Battle, which Galekit thought was sad. He wanted to meet and thank this Firestar bloke for helping his Clan. "We heard a story about Firestar."

"Oh, one of those," Breezepelt scrunched his nose. "Honestly, that's all cats tell anymore; stories of Firestar. Everyone praises him like he's leader of StarClan. Did you know he used to be a kittypet? I would leave ThunderClan if I was being led by a Two-leg stinking kittypet."

"He did some nice things," Fogkit squeaked. "He brought our Clan back and helped us in need." Fogkit looked just like her mother; the two were copies of each other. There was one exception: Fogkit had a lighter underbelly and muzzle, while Heathertail was a simple light brown tabby. "It doesn't matter if you're a kittypet, right? It's what's inside. That's what momma told us."

Breezepelt rolled his eyes. "Heathertail, why are you teaching our kits such stupidity? Listen, kits, kittypets are soft and pampered most of the time, except for the ones in ShadowClan. But you'll never be going over there, anyway... Okay, so their Two-legs feed them filth and they let Two-legs _pet_ them. Loners are the cats that kind of just walk around, but don't attack anyone and are usually, well, _alone_. Rogues are the violent ones that was to rip your eyes out, so you have to watch out." He nodded, satisfied. "Well, there you go. Your lesson for today. I have to go on patrol now, I'll see you all later."

"Honestly, mother," Fogkit mewed, rolling her eyes like her father. "What in your right mind were you thinking when you took him as your mate? He's crazy." Her eyes were soft and her voice was lighthearted, so Galekit knew she was kidding; but he still had to disagree. Even though his father exaggerated, he was pretty cool. He was a warrior that Galekit wanted to be like when he was older. Minus the arrogance, though.

Heathertail laughed and pulled her kits close. "I'm not sure," She mewed happily. "But I'm glad that none of you inherited the Crowfeather-Breezeheart-Jayfeather grumpiness and arrogance. You inherited your mother's personality, Fogkit; and my looks." Galekit had been told by his father that Crowfeather had other kits, too; Hollyleaf, Lionblaze, and Jayfeather. Galekit would like to meet them. He heard Jayfeather was very grumpy and Hollyleaf was dead, but he didn't know Lionblaze. He seemed pretty cool.

"What did I inherit?" Galekit asked, lifting his head up and looking his mother in the eyes. They were a purple-blue, just like Galekit's. Galekit didn't know whose looks he had inherited; his father was a black tom and his mother a brown tabby. Galekit was a gray tabby... so maybe his parents' colors mixed together was gray tabby.

Heathertail smiled down at her son. "I'm not sure, Galekit; you;re my mystery," She mewed. When Galekit lowered his head in shame, Heathertail gasped. "Oh, no, Galekit; I didn't mean it like that! You're thoughtful and like making other cats happy, and those are very, very good traits for a cat to have. You should be proud! You're _unique_, there's no other cat like you in the world."

Galekit cocked his head; confused. "Un-ee-ce?" He asked, not knowing what the word meant. It was a nice word, though; Galekit liked the way it rolled over his tongue.

"It means that you're special. There's no one else like you," Heathertail explained. Galekit felt his heart warm up.

For the rest of the day, Galekit paraded around camp saying how he was "unique". It was his new favorite word.

* * *

It was nighttime. The wind sped across the moor, rustling the grass and keeping Galekit awake. He'd thought about the word "unique" all day, and he was still thinking about it. _There's no one else like me._ He thought with a smile. _I'm me. And that's better than being a copy._

It was well past midnight, Galekit knew that. But he just wasn't tired. He gazed out of the den and out at the camp, where the WindClan cats were sleeping under the stars. _I'd like to do that one day. _Galekit thought peacefully. _Sleeping under the stars... being so close to your ancestors... it's just such a pure way of living._

Suddenly, a light appeared at the edge of camp; the edge that overlooked ThunderClan's forest. The light disappeared as soon as it had appeared and flickered out. By the bushes surrounding camp where the light flickered, there was a rustling bush. _Hmm? What's that? _Galekit thought curiously, staring at the bush. There weren't any moonhigh patrols, so who could it be? _No other warriors are awake; I'll have to find out myself._ Quietly, he crept out of the den and skirted around the sleeping warriors until he reached the rustling bush. He peered into it, and...

"Gotcha!" A rough voice mewed, clamping its fangs over Galekit's scruff. Galekit screeched in surprise; who was taking him? "You're coming with me," growled the voice, ripping the shrieking kit from the ground and running.

"No! Galekit yelled, flailing. "Momma, help me! Dadda! Please, somebody help me! Help!" But the tom that had taken Galekit was running far away from camp, across the moor. Galekit was shrieking and sobbing the whole time, but there was nothing he could do about it. He was too small and he didn't know how to fight. The tom ran across the RiverClan border and up into the occupied woods. There, he stuffed Galekit in a hole in a large oak. Galekit got a good look at him then; the tom was a faded gray color, with scary blue eyes the color of the lake when it froze over. The color of ice.

"Is this a joke?" Galekit squeaked. "Please let me go! You've taken me away from my home. I want to go home."

The faded tom snorted. "Ha, you think I'll let you go back? No way in hell, kid. You're mine, now, and you'll do what I say, or else. Yell all you want, a fox'll come and get you if you make too much noise," The tom added with a twisted smile, turning away. He smelled of lake and trees. "I'd really like to stay, but I can't. Try jumping down the tree; you'll die."

Galekit screeched, howled and cried until he didn't have any voice left. Finally, accepting defeat, he collapsed onto the bottom of the tree-hole and slept; praying to StarClan that this was a dream. A sick, twisted, terrible dream... or perhaps a nightmare. Yes, he would rather this be a nightmare...

* * *

_Galekit awoke in a clearing surrounded by forest. A black and white thin cat with a long tail was sitting in front of him; his amber eyes somber and sad. His tail drooped as the tom noticed Galekit, and he shook his head sadly; a sigh escaping from his mouth. "I'm sorry," whispered the tom. Galekit noticed that he had a strange, shiny quality about him. Almost like there were stars in his fur. "This wasn't supposed to happen. You weren't supposed to be taken just yet. It was going to happen, but I thought you'd be stronger." _

_"Excuse me?" Galekit squeaked. "Who are you, and how do you know I've been taken away? May you take me home, please? The tree-hole is terribly uncomfy, and I miss my mama."_

_"My name is Tallstar," the tom mewed, a flicker of pride lighting up his eyes. "I am from StarClan; I watch over all. I'm afraid I don't have the power to take you home, as I am dead. If I would, I could. But I must tell you; there's something special about you."_

_"Momma said I was unique," Galekit mewed proudly. "Is that what you're telling me?"_

_A ghost of a smile appeared on Tallstar's face. "Yes, Galekit. But not in the way your mother's talking about. You see, you have a mission; but I'm afraid that mission has been halted because you've been taken away by an evil cat. The mission involves the evil cat that took you, but not for awhile. He's testing his methods on you, I'm afraid."_

_"What methods?" inquired Galekit. "I have a mission? Will my mama ever find me?"_

_"My kit, I am working to get your father over here," Tallstar mewed. "However, that is difficult with Onestar's loss. You see, he has only one life remaining, I'm afraid. That's why it's taking so long. The Clan will miss you, but it may take awhile. You may have to bear with that evil cat... but I don't think so."_

_Galekit whimpered. "Tallstar, I'm afraid. What will the evil cat do to me?"_

_"Don't be afraid, little one," whispered Tallstar. "StarClan is always here. I know you will not die; for you are prophesied for something great... you just have to promise me to keep strong."_

_Galekit looked down; still confused. What exactly did this mean? Then, Galekit realized; the evil cat was going to do very bad things to him, but if he stayed strong, his family would find him. _Is this some kind of test that all WindClan cats do?_ He wondered. _I wonder if Fogkit's doing it right now...

_But something told him that this wasn't normal. "I promise, Tallstar," whispered Galekit. "I'll keep strong for StarClan." _

_"Fate did pick the right cat," Tallstar smiled, and then everything turned black._

* * *

_Breezepelt . _

The black tom awoke to a screech coming from the nursery at dawn. Immediately, he opened his eyes and bolted towards the nursery and felt sick when he saw the cat that had screamed: Heathertail. She was crouched over her nest, sobbing; while Fogkit was looking confused and unhappy. Crowfeather was speaking softly into her ear, but she was shaking her head. His mate picked her head up and noticed Breezepelt. "Oh, Breezepelt!" She mewed, burying her nose into his shoulder. "It's Galekit! He's gone!"

Breezepelt's heart dropped. A million thoughts went through his head at once. No, no, no... He was an adventurous kit, right? Well, no. He was just curious; so he probably went out exploring or something. But he's thoughtful and intelligent, so he'd never do that without thinking about it and the exact route he'd go. And Galekit would never do it out of the blue. "W-how?" Breezepelt whispered. "Did any cat try to follow his scent?"

"I sent out Harespring and Rockpaw," replied Crowfeather, Breezepelt's father. They were starting to get along more with the birth of the kits; and Crowfeather seemed greatly upset. Breezepelt shook his head; drooping his tail. What had happened in such a short span of time?

"Where did they go?" Breezepelt asked sharply, shaking Heathertail from him. "To the other Clans? Or to actually track it?"

"They ran to check on ThunderClan, and I have Furzepelt asking RiverClan," replied Crowfeather. "They couldn't catch his scent, but you have a good sense of smell, so why don't you try and look?" He didn't say it snarkily; it was in a soft tone of voice. "I caught a fresh scent by the bushes out of the camp, so I'd start there."

"Why didn't you _follow_ it?" snarled Breezepelt. "My son's life is in danger and you didn't even try and find him! And you sent other patrols to other Clans; not to follow his scent!"

"I thought you'd be the best cat for the job because he's your son!" growled Crowfeather. "Stop wasting time and find him! I'm coming too."

"I don't need you," growled Breezepelt, turning away from his father.

"I'm coming anyways,"

Breezepelt ignored his father and reached out his senses for his father's scent. Senses... "Wait!" Breezepelt halted, looking at his father with a gleam in his eye. "_Senses_!"

Crowfeather looked at his son as if he had gone insane. "Um, sorry, Breezepelt?"

"Senses!" crowed Breezepelt. "Come on, dad, we're going to ThunderClan!" Without warning, Breezepelt dashed across the camp as fast as he could, ignoring the grass that whipped at his face. _For Galekit... for Galekit..._ He thought whenever he would tire. Out of the corner of his eye, he saw Crowfeather catching up.

"Why are you going to ThunderClan?" puffed Crowfeather.

"Senses!" called Breezepelt. "Isn't it obvious? The Three? _Dovewing_? If she listens, she'll be able to hear Galekit!" Breezepelt rolled his eyes. "And you thought I wasn't intelligent."

* * *

_Galekit ._

"Wake up," A harsh voice whispered in the tiny kit's ear; rousing him. Galekit opened one eyes to find a huge, icy blue orb staring back. Squealing, Galekit backed up to farthest point of the tree-hole. Unfortunately, the tree-hole was very small so the escape did not work for awhile. The evil tom easily plucked Galekit out of the hole and brought him to the ground with a sick smile.

"Today, I'm going to, eh, _test _a method on you," The tom smiled.

"I'm sorry for interrupting," Galekit mewed, bowing his head in mock-respect. "But I must know your name. I'm simply curious as to what it is."

The tom curled his lip. "What do you _think _my name is, dear?" His icy blue eyes shone with a strong emotion as the tom's tongue rasped over his lips. Galekit began to shrink back, but then remembered the former WindClan leader's words to him: _'... promise me to keep strong...'_

"I'm not sure," Galekit mewed. "Probably something fearsome; like Thief. Or Robber. Perhaps Rob." Galekit was being honest; he was curious as to what this monster of a cat called himself. Also, if Tallstar helped StarClan save Galekit, Galekit planned to tell all of the Clans who this cat was so they could hunt him down.

"No," growled the tom, his icy eyes narrowing. "Nothing like that. My name is Alpine, actually. But nice try to be smart with 'Robber' and 'Thief'. Kit humor doesn't appeal to me." The tom paused, as if remembering what he was doing. "Ah, yes. As I was saying, we're testing a special method today. And you're my tester! It's a very special job, little kit."

Galekit felt his heart plummet. Tallstar was talking about these 'tests', and they didn't sound good. Was Alpine going to throw him over a river to see if he could fly? Or maybe he was doing a really hard hunting assessment. Galekit didn't think the latter would be too bad; he supposed he could pass a hunting test with his WindClan speed. "What're we going to do?" He asked as Alpine walked towards a tree.

"Go in that stream," Alpine ordered, pointing with his tail to the stream. Galekit glanced at it; it was a churning, deep stream that he would prefer not to set paw in. Maybe Alpine was looking to see if Galekit could swim well... but Galekit didn't know how to swim.

"Sorry?" mewed Galekit, his eyes wide. "I'm not sure what you're saying; I'm a WindClan cat. I don't know how to swim. That's what RiverClan cats do." As soon as he said these words; he knew he shouldn't have. An angry flare emerged in Alpine's eyes; and this was very scary because his ice-eyes seemed to bore into Galekit's soul itself. _Keep strong. _Galekit thought. _Tallstar is with me._

"You'll do what I tell you," Alpine growled in a menacing tone, approaching Galekit. Galekit shut his eyes, hoping that this was some twisted, sick dream; that he was never captured, and he never had to do these tests, and that his mama and daddy heard his cries for help...

Suddenly, he a tail slapped his head and Galekit felt as if he was flying. Flying, flying... until he hit the water. He plummeted down, down, down... until he felt sand underneath him. Galekit had the courage to look up, and saw a dappled, starry she-cat staring down at him.

"Swim!" She yowled. "It's like running, but in water. Run, Galekit, run!" Tallstar appeared beside the she-cat, and he nodded to Galekit. "Swim to survive!" He urged Galekit. "StarClan is counting on you!"

Galekit closed his eyes and pretended he was on the moor, running after the juiciest rabbit that ever lived. His paws churned in the water, and he found that he was losing breath. _Come on, that rabbit is just ahead!_ A voice inside his head whispered. _Listen to the StarClan cats! Run!_ Just as he was about to lose breath, his face broke the surface and he breathed in the sweet air.

The WindClan kit opened his eyes to see Alpine's icy blue ones boring into his. "You're a lucky kit," Alpine hissed. "But not next time. Maybe if I hold your head down, you won't be able to swim to the top? Your luck won't help you then, eh?" Alpine placed his paw on Galekit's head and Galekit wailed. His life was definitely over now; this evil cat was trying to kill him. He felt the sensation of being dunked, and knew his life was over. Then, Alpine's paw left Galekit's head quite suddenly and Galekit felt himself being picked up by the scruff.

"Galekit!" gasped a familiar voice. Galekit blinked open his eyes to see Crowfeather staring at him, his mouth wide. "You really were taken! Dovewing, he's safe, thanks to you! We never would have found him and that evil, piece of..."

"Hey, there's a kit here!" yowled a blue-eyed gray she-cat who approached Galekit. She smelled weird; of thick trees and birds. She inspected Galekit and smiled softly at him. "Hi, Galekit," She mewed softly. "Are you alright? Can you tell us what happened, or do you not want to? We arrived just as the gray cat was dunking you, and Breezepelt is chasing him off right now."

Galekit felt a rush of pride; he wanted his father to destroy that evil tom. "Yes," he meowed in a small voice. "I'm fine. Well, last night, I couldn't go to sleep. I saw a strange flash of light by a rustling bush. I thought this was strange, so I inspected it. Suddenly this tom clenched me in his teeth and ran. I shrieked and screamed but no cat heard me. He carried me past RiverClan border and shoved me in a tree-hole, saying I'd pay and I couldn't go home. Then I got a very strange dream from a cat named Tallstar. He told me to stay strong and that StarClan was watching me. He also said the cat who took me, whose name is Alpine, would put me through tests. I was rudely woken up by Alpine who told me we were going to do tests. He forced me into this stream and told me he didn't care if I couldn't swim. Then, I saw a dappled golden she-cat as I was drowning who told me that swimming was like running, and Tallstar was there too. I swam up and Alpine was there. He told me he'd dunk me, and he was dunking me, but then you all arrived. I'm curious as to who you are, though." Galekit said his last sentence as he turned to Dovewing.

Crowfeather and Dovewing looked at each other in stunned silence. Crowfeather looked angry and upset; he kept sheathing and unsheathing his claws into the dirt, while Dovewing just looked sad. Crowfeather looked at his grandson. "I can promise you one thing; Galekit, this will never happen again. I'm having a guard in the camp every night from now on, this was inexcusable; completely my fault. I'm so sorry, and I hope you can forgive you."

"It's not your fault, Crowfeather," murmured Galekit. "It's mine for being curious, I guess. I'm glad I got captured, 'cus now I can swim and you can capture Alpine and stop him from kidnapping kits." Galekit turned to Dovewing. "I'm still confused. Who are you, and why do you smell funny?"

A ghost of a smile played on Dovewing's lips. "My name is Dovewing and I'm from ThunderClan. I have exceeded hearing, so the moment you were found missing, Breezepelt and Crowfeather ran to me and asked for help. I obliged, I didn't like the thought of a kit being taken. I heard you here, so we ran as fast as we could here and found you almost drowning." She sighed, and dipped her head to Crowfeather. "I'm glad I could've helped and that Galekit is safe. I have to return now."

Crowfeather stood up and nodded to Dovewing. "You are in my debt," He mewed. Surprisingly, he didn't sound annoyed; he sounded relieved that his kin was safe. "I can never thank you enough."

Dovewing simply bowed her head and exited the forest.

"And now," Crowfeather mewed, turning to Galekit, "It's time for us to go home."

* * *

**AN: This was an extremely long chapter; sorry. In my chapters I aim for anywhere from 2.5k to 3k (about), but it really depends on the POV.**

**Does Alpine seem familiar? No? Good. ;)**


	5. T h r e e

**The Legacy of the Three: Chapter Three**

_Leafpaw ._

The sun was setting; streaking the sky with beautiful colors of red, orange and pink. Clouds streamed out in a straight line, dyed pink from the sun's rays. It was a beautiful greenleaf sunset.

"What did you do this time?" Leafpaw was in Jayfeather's den, watching his cousin get patched up. Leafpaw had just returned from a brutal fighting practice with Thornclaw, Birchfall, Lionblaze and Bramblestar. They thought Leafpaw had enough potential in fighting that they would show him more advanced warrior moves, and he perfected them easily. He was one of the best fighters in the Clan already, Bramblestar had told him; obviously he wasn't a Lionblaze but he was good. He was Lionblaze's son, after all; so that was expected.

Flamepaw bared his teeth angrily, whipping his tail. Lilystripe gave him a warning mew to keep quiet, but he ignored her. "I was hunting by the ShadowClan border," He began. "And a squirrel crossed the border a teensy bit, so I caught it. Dovewing, Featherpaw and Bumblestripe were admiring my catch when Tigerheart, Falconwing and Wrenpaw, that rogue, appeared. Tigerheart challenged me, so I challenged him back - "

"Why would you _ever_ do that?" Leafpaw rolled his eyes. "StarClan, Flamepaw, you are so _stupid_. Challenging Tigerheart? A ShadowClan cat no less? How much of a mouse-brain do you have to be?" It was a known fact that Tigerheart was ShadowClan's deputy, and what idiot apprentice challenged a ShadowClan cat with that much power?

" - as I was _saying_," Flamepaw growled. "Wrenpaw came up to me and started talking all smart-like; I didn't catch on. But I started clawing her fur off, and I made her bleed, and then - "

"You didn't make her bleed," Featherpaw, Flamepaw's sister, mewed as she entered the medicine cat den. "You were fighting poorly. You were flailing, and that's why it was so easy for her to pin you down and slash open your stomach."

"Ha!" Leafpaw crowed, smiling crookedly at his cousin. "She just ruined your story and told the truth! I can't believe you got beaten by a _she-cat_. That's so embarrassing. And especially a rogue like Wrenpaw. Apparently Tigerheart found her on ThunderClan territory and brought her here."

"I'm not finished!" Flamepaw protested. "And I don't want to talk about Wrenpaw. Okay; then I was bleeding really badly on the ground and she backed off. Then Bumblestripe said something offensive about Wrenpaw, and Tigerheart came charging from the hill and totally knocked down Bumblestripe. He tore a 'v' in his ear and everything, and was like 'don't talk to my daughter like that'. Then we left, and I've been in here ever since."

Leafpaw flicked his tail in confusion. "Okay," He said slowly. "So where's Bumblestripe? Shouldn't he be in the medicine cat den?" Lilystripe was still working on redressing Flamepaw's stomach wound with cobwebs, but she glanced at Leafpaw and shook her head abruptly. Cobwebs were in her mouth, so he gave her a moment to rid of them and respond.

"I just had to put cobwebs on his wound," She explained. "He only needs to rest. But Flamepaw needs to stay in this position all night so the wound can heal properly, and then he has to rest for two days. No border patrols, no hunting patrols; nothing. You hear me? You can only walk to take care of the elders and then get your freshkill, but that's it. Don't complain."

"What!" exclaimed Flamepaw indignantly. "That's not fair!" His blue eyes burned as he glared at Lilystripe, who hardly flinched. She smiled at him, her tabby stripes glowing in the sunset.

"It's not my fault, now is it, Flamepaw?" She mewed sweetly. "You're the brave one who decided to stand up to the deputy's daughter and got crushed in the process. If you weren't so narrow minded, you wouldn't have this wound. I'm sorry, but it may hinder you being an apprentice. With a stomach wound like that…" Lilystripe shook her head. "You were lucky I let you get off with cobwebs. You'll need to get used to cramps in your stomach."

Leafpaw snickered as Lilystripe said this, and in turn received a burning look from the medicine cat apprentice. The mottled golden-brown apprentice coughed and backed up, retreating away from the den. "Uh, I'll see you later, Flamepaw!" He called as he turned away and exited the den. He let out a sigh of relief; he hated the medicine cat den. It was full of herby, gross smells; gross, dirty cats… he just didn't see the excitement in being a medicine cat.

"Hey, Leafpaw," A voice surprised Leafpaw from behind him. He turned around to see Bluestrike approaching him, her tail held high. "What's up? How's Flamepaw doing? I saw you come out of the medicine cat den, so I assumed that you were visiting him." Bluestrike had recently been named a warrior, and Leafpaw was nearing his assessment, so the two had been good friends. Leafpaw was pleasantly surprised when she was awarded Hollypaw as an apprentice.

"He's alright, arrogant as usual," muttered Leafpaw, shrugging. "He took on ShadowClan and got ripped apart." _Typical Flamepaw, _Leafpaw thought with a shake of his head. Flamepaw was arrogant like Leafpaw, but Leafpaw could actually back up his arrogance, while Flamepaw was all talk. Plus, Flamepaw didn't have a clever bone in his body, while Leafpaw could pass as a ShadowClan cat. He strategized everything in his head; in battle and out of battle.

"I heard," Bluestrike mewed, nodding. "Hey, you want to go hunting? Brackenfur sent Hollypaw and I out, but Hollypaw's so tired after patrolling all day and I don't want to wake her."

"Sure," Leafpaw mewed happily, eager to stretch his legs again. Leafpaw was never really tired; he was full of energy. Even after that tough fighting session, he still felt plenty of energy to go out and hunt.

"Then, let's go!" Bluestrike called, and the two rushed out into the forest. They laughed as they dodged trees, fallen logs, and the undergrowth that grew all over ThunderClan's territory. They ended up at the lake and laughed about it, although neither knew exactly why.

"We didn't even hunt," chortled Leafpaw. "We just laughed and ran to the end of the lake. I don't even know how that happened." His amber eyes were light as him and Bluestrike laughed together. "You know what I've always wanted to do?" Leafpaw asked, placing himself behind Bluestrike.

"What?" asked Bluestrike, distractedly watching the lake.

"Push a cat in the lake," responded Leafpaw, shoving his friend into the lake. She gasped in midair and screeched; but it was too late. Moments later, she emerged soaking wet, her blue eyes bright and angry. "Ohh, Leafpaw," She muttered softly, "You don't know what you've gotten yourself into." Then, in one sudden movement, she seized Leafpaw from the shore and dragged him underwater. However, Leafpaw couldn't swim, and panicked; he felt his back hit the lake floor and was unable to swim up. Bluestrike dipped her head under and signaled for him to stand up, and Leafpaw did. When he stood up, he emerged onto the surface and could easily breathe.

"Mousebrain," Bluestrike muttered, splashing him with her tail. "Even I knew you could stand up, and I was caught by surprise. Just think if I pushed _you_ in," Her eyes sparkled mischievously, and she ducked underwater again. _I had no idea Bluestrike could swim._ Suddenly, he saw a shape move towards him on the shore. Bluestrike! How did she get up there?

"See you later, Leafpaw!" She crowed, sprinting up to where the camp was located. It took a moment for Leafpaw to realize what had just happened; he'd been ditched. _Is this some funny prank?_ He thought angrily, pulling himself out of the water and onto the shore. _Did she set me up for this just to ditch me? What's up with this?_ The mottled golden-brown apprentice trudged back to camp, a scowl present on his face. When he ducked under the thorn barrier and let out a yowl, he knew he'd caught the Clan's attention.

"Where's Bluestrike?" He roared angrily. The older cats simply ignored him, but the younger warriors glanced at each other mischievously. Amberflower stepped forward, her white markings dotting her body glowing in the sunset. She flicked an ear and mewed, "Ah, so her trick must've worked, then?"

"Where is she?" Leafpaw asked, getting dangerously close to Amberflower. "Tell me where she is!"

Amberflower, Snowpelt, Dewtail and Emberwing erupted in laughter; pointing and glancing at Leafpaw's reaction. Leafpaw couldn't take this anymore. In one fluid motion, he bowled Dewtail over and pinned him to the ground; making sure his claws were sheathed. "Tell me where she is!" He mewed. "Or tell me what the point of that was? Because I don't like being tricked!"

"I made her do it," A smooth voice mewed from behind Leafpaw. Leafpaw released Dewtail and spun around to see his sister, Honeypaw, smiling at him. With a flick of her tail, she continued. "I'm just getting you back from your prank last week, brother; and this has obviously proven that I'm much better at pranking. _And _that you like Bluestrike because you were so concerned where she went."

_Honeypaw! I should've known!_ Honeypaw and Leafpaw were your typical rival siblings; they loved each other deep inside, but they'd never show it. They always tried to one-up each other with embarrassing pranks and gossip that would embarrass the other. The cycle had been happening ever since the two were kits; with each prank getting bigger and more embarrassing. "That's not true!" Leafpaw gasped, feeling his face blush. He didn't even _like _Bluestrike that much, they were just friends. It was just an apprentice crush, nothing more. "At least I don't moon over her all day like you do to Moleclaw!"

"Oohh," Snowpelt mewed, flicking Honeypaw on the ear with his tail. Leafpaw smiled, satisfied, when he saw Honeypaw flare up with embarrassment. Then, her green eyes narrowed menacingly. "Yeah?" She mewed, her tail moving back and forth dangerously. "That's how you want to play, huh?" Suddenly, she yowled "Bluestrike!", and immediately, Bluestrike appeared out of the warrior's den and next to Honeypaw. Honeypaw turned to Bluestrike and smiled. "I think you should apologize to Leafpaw. He was very upset here because he kind of has a crush on you, so he thought you rejected him."

A spark of anger coursed through Leafpaw's body. He didn't like Bluestrike! "That's not - " He began, but was cut off by Bluestrike, who was looking down at him sadly. "Oh," She mewed, looking nervous. "Um, I'm sorry, Leafpaw, but I don't feel that way about you. I'm a warrior, and you're an apprentice. I thought we were just, friends."

"Ohh!" Dewtail nudged Leafpaw. "You got rejected! Ha!"

At once, voices pounded on Leafpaw's ears. "_Rejected, rejected! Mighty apprentice got rejected!_" Leafpaw hated one thing: and that was being humiliated. And right now, he felt extremely humiliated. The mocking voices continued to hammer on Leafpaw's ears, and he couldn't take it anymore. Before he knew what he was doing, he ran away from the crowd of cats mocking him and bounded into the forest. He didn't know where he was going, but he had to get out of here... Honeypaw had definitely got him this time...

Suddenly, he felt the ground give way underneath him. Leafpaw felt the sensation of falling; and gasped. "Help!" He yowled, trying to scrabble upwards. But the ground gave way, and he was plunging, plunging into the darkness. _StarClan help me!_

He landed with a thud, and gasped in pain. Leafpaw opened his eyes to see darkness greeting them. Sighing, he pushed himself onto his paws and looked upward to find that the top had closed through, and he was stuck underground. However, he seemed to be in some sort of maze of tunnels. He could see light in one tunnel, so he followed it. The tunnel walls brushed Leafpaw's whiskers, and he hoped that he'd find a way out.

The tunnel led out to a huge space that Leafpaw didn't recognize. A river trickled through the space, and ledges were on the walls. Ontop of the space, there was a hole which led to the outside world. _That must have been the light... _thought Leafpaw, cursing himself. How in StarClan was he supposed to get out?

He observed the space, testing out the ledges and seeing if there were any fish in the river. There were, but there was one problem: Leafpaw couldn't fish. He sighed, plopping himself next to the river and dipping his paw in the water, humming to himself. He looked into one of the tunnels and flinched back; a pair of eyes were staring at him! He slowly unsheathed his claws and pushed himself up, getting into a hunting position.

"Who goes there?" Leafpaw challenged, baring his teeth. His eyes were focused on the pair of eyes watching him form the tunnel.

A thin, light gray she-cat stepped out from the tunnel, her green eyes curious and filled with wonder. "Hello," she mewed, her voice hardly a whisper. "I don't mean any harm. My name is Grasspaw, and I'm of a Clan called WindClan. We live above the tunnels..."

Leafpaw unsheathed his claws and stood up. "I know what WindClan is," He mewed harshly, observing the small she-cat. "My name is Leafpaw. I am the son of Lionblaze, and I live in ThunderClan. I fell through the tunnels by accident. I don't know how to get back up, so I suppose I'm stuck down here." He sighed; suddenly realizing his mistake. _That she-cat is probably stuck down here, too. And I can rip her apart if she makes any threats._ "I'm guessing you're in the same predicament?"

Grasspaw smiled timidly. "Ah, ThunderClan; a forest-dweller," She nodded, taking no notice of Leafpaw flaring up in fornt of her. "And the son of Lionblaze, one of the Three. You sound important, it's such a shame you got stuck down here with a WindClan apprentice," Leafpaw didn't miss the note of sarcasm in her last comment. "I didn't get stuck down here, I come down here often. Surely you know this is where cats from different Clans meet if they want to talk to each other? There's a code down here."

Leafpaw flicked his tail in confusion. "Um, what?" He mewed, forgetting all of Grasspaw's recent jabs at his father and ThunderClan. "I don't understand what you mean. There's a code down here? Like for a Clan? Does a Clan live in these tunnels?"

Grasspaw laughed softly, shaking her head. "The younger warriors and apprentices found this place and decided to use it as a place to meet cats from other Clans. Like, a Gathering inbetween Gatherings. It's called the 'Cross'. If you want to meet a cat down here in privacy, you just say, 'Hey, let's meet at the Cross'; and if it's a newer warrior or an apprentice, they'll know what you're talking about. From ShadowClan, RiverClan and WindClan; at least. You're the only ThunderClan cat I've heard of down here. Anyway, this place is huge; there's caves up by the ledges if you want privacy, and there's tunnels extending beyond those. But there's a code behind everything. If you see a cat down here meeting with another cat, you have to keep quiet and can't tell any other cat. We don't want this place exposed, and it'd be pointless to tell on another cat. Everyone's down here for the same reason, so why expose one cat and ruin your fun?" Grasspaw shrugged. "It's really fun. I think you'll like it here. We all get along."

The gears in Leafpaw's head were beginning to turn; but he was still a bit confused. The idea of meeting cats from other Clans excited him because he was now the laughingstock of his Clan, but it also scared him. Would this hinder him from his ambitions of becoming ThunderClan leader? What if a cat like Honeypaw found out?

"So?" Grasspaw asked, her green eyes playful. "Do you want to join the Cross or not? If you don't, I'll have to send you away."

Before Leafpaw knew what he was saying, he blurted out, "Yes!" Immediately, he felt a churning in his stomach. What would happen if the other cats found out? Would he be exiled; or even worse, put to death? How disappointed would Lionblaze be in him?

"Then, come on!" Grasspaw mewed, hopping onto a ledge. "I'll show you around."

* * *

**AN: I'm introducing the main characters in these first few chapters; they've had little drama and I apologize for that. They're all following a big, big plot; trust me. :)**

**You can see "history repeating itself" already ;)**

**Also, I know these cats have crushes on their cousins and whatever, but let's face it; all of ThunderClan is related now. **


	6. F o u r

**The Legacy of the Three: Chapter Four**

_Stonepaw ._

The moon was round in the sky; almost a perfect circle. The Gathering would be the next night, and Stonepaw couldn't wait. He had already been to one Gathering, and he loved it. It was natural he got picked every full-moon because him and his sister, Streampaw, were the only apprentices in the Clan. But he still worked extra hard the week leading up to the Gathering to ensure he got a spot.

"Hey, Stonepaw?" His sister was approaching him, a fish dangling in her jaws. The two were close being the only apprentices, and usually shared meals together. Today, they did a joint fighting technique lesson, and Stonepaw easily beat his sister due to his larger frame. Stonepaw was the fighter; Streampaw was the patient swimmer. They both matched each other in fishing, but the two never really had any hunting competitions.

"What's up, Streampaw?" He mewed as she dropped the fish. He didn't hesitate to dig in; it was a delicious trout, and he'd been hungry all day. She began to eat the fish as well, and Stonepaw allowed her to finish chewing before she replied to his question.

She leaned closer to Stonepaw and murmured into his ear, "I ran into Rockpaw at the border and he wanted to know if we could meet them at the Cross tonight. He says it'll be him, Grasspaw and the ShadowClan apprentices. It's an apprentice-only night tonight."

Stonepaw pondered this for a moment. He glanced around the camp and saw that most cats were asleep, save the cats that had just returned from the moonhigh patrol. Although he was confused why the apprentices would want to meet the night before the Gathering, he liked the secretive meetings the cats held in the Cross. "Yeah, why not?" He mewed. "Should we go now?"

"Yes," mewed Streampaw, finishing up the trout. "We're late already, come on!" The two padded across camp and hopped over the river guarding it. They made their way through the mazes of rivers and streams until they reached a huge rock. Beside this rock was a hole. Streampaw easily got through, and Stonepaw followed. They had entered the tunnels. Streampaw and Stonepaw were the cats that discovered the tunnels in RiverClan, but they only told the newer warriors. Now every cat could use the tunnels to meet at the Cross, but only the newer warriors and apprentices knew about it. "Come on!" Streampaw called, running ahead of Stonepaw. Stonepaw followed as best he could, but the tunnels always scared him. He felt like he was trapped underground. But arriving at the Cross always calmed his fears.

The tunnel to the Cross was a straight tunnel, and it took a very short time to arrive there. In two moments, the RiverClan apprentices had already tumbled out of the tunnel and into the Cross. A chorus of welcomes flew through Stonepaw's ears, and he glanced up to see the ShadowClan and WindClan apprentices waving at him with their tails. There was a newcomer from ShadowClan; a brown she-cat with a lighter brown back, legs, and muzzle; but she had dark brown stripes, paws, tail, and ears. Hawkpaw introduced her. "This is Wrenpaw, she's been an apprentice for two moons but I didn't think she was ready yet. Now she is." Stonepaw and Streampaw did the Cross sign to Wrenpaw; lifting their left paw in the air and drawing out a circle. Wrenpaw followed.

There was a huge mottled golden brown tom next to Grasspaw, and she pushed him forward. His amber eyes glanced from Streampaw to Stonepaw. _He's very big and muscular for a WindClan cat... for any Clan cat, really. This tom is huge!_ "Hello," He rumbled. "My name is Leafpaw, and I accidentally came upon the Cross. I'm from ThunderClan, and I'm assuming I'm the only ThunderClan cat that comes down here."

"Yes," Hawkpaw confirmed. "We tried to ask Emberpaw, or, Emberwing, now; but he said that ThunderClan cats are too loyal to come down in the tunnels and meet other Clans, but he promised he wouldn't tell any cat." Hawkpaw turned to Leafpaw. "I'm trusting he didn't reveal the Cross, and you won't."

"I won't," promised Leafpaw. "I'm not an idiot like my Clanmates. I know how to follow the warrior code and have fun at the same time. However, when battle comes, I just want you all to know that my Clan comes before the Cross and I hope you all feel the same."

"We do," Rockpaw mewed, "And we've already established that between everyone, but I suppose Grasspaw hasn't told you that. Well, we gave the newcomers a tour and I hope they like it here." Rockpaw smiled. "So, what do you guys want to do? Has anything been going on lately?"

"Wait, I have a question," Stonepaw mewed. "Why are we meeting the night before a Gathering? Isn't it pointless? I mean, I really like it here, I'm just confused. Is there something important we need to share before we see each other tomorrow?"

Grasspaw shrugged. "Not really. I just like the idea of us being close friends, you know? What matters if a Gathering's the night before? Plus, it's more secretive down here. We can have any conversation we want without senior warriors hissing at us to be quiet."

"That's true," Streampaw agreed. "Well, nothing special has happened in RiverClan, really. Freezeheart just became an official warrior and gained his name, but that's about it. It's been a peaceful moon with no drama."

"Hey," mewed Hawkpaw, his amber eyes glancing between the other apprentices. "I think it's boring how we only meet every moon. It's like a Gathering. Maybe we should meet, all of the apprentices, every half moon or so, if we can? Just think; we're the future leaders of our Clan, so we have to be friends."

The gathered cats agreed, but Stonepaw couldn't help but notice that Leafpaw looked very uncomfortable to be here. He kept twitching his ears and stealing glances back to the tunnels. Ignoring this, Stonepaw decided to start a new conversation, "Hey, which one of us do you think will be leader someday?"

The apprentices thought about this for a bit, and finally Grasspaw spoke. "No offense, Stonepaw, but I think your sister has the good makings for a leader. She's tough, and you're just nice." Stonepaw was a little offended by this, but he didn't let it get to him. Grasspaw turned to the ShadowClan apprentices. "Hmm, I think Hawkpaw definitely has the makings of a good leader. Sorry, Mousepaw, you're just too quiet; and I don't really know you, Wrenpaw." She glanced at Leafpaw. "You're my vote for ThunderClan leader, Leafpaw. You're Lionblaze's son and everything, so that puts you ahead."

A gasp came from Mousepaw, the sandy ShadowClan apprentice. "Wow!" She murmured, looking at Leafpaw with awe. "You're Lionblaze's son? Do you have any special power like he does? Like, can you fight really well? Are you invincible?"

Leafpaw puffed out his chest, a glimmer of arrogance entering his eye. "Well, it's not really a big deal; but today I was sparring with Lionblaze and Bramblestar, the best fighters in our Clan. They told me I was one of the best fighters, even though I'm only an apprentice. So you could say I am."

Stonepaw was very interested in this Leafpaw cat now. Being Lionblaze's son was an honor in itself, but the fact that he was placed in such an advanced fighting class when he was only an apprentice mesmerized Stonepaw. And Stonepaw thought _he _was a good fighter, but he couldn't even beat Reedwhisker.

"Wow," breathed Mousepaw, Grasspaw and Streampaw; in awe of the tom. Stonepaw glanced at Hawkpaw and Rockpaw and saw a flicker of jealousy enter their eyes. Stonepaw wasn't jealous of Leafpaw's attention, he could frankly care less. But he did admire Wrenpaw's seemingly not-impressed attitude.

Hawkpaw stepped forward, his amber eyes challenging. "Really?" He mewed, sheathing and unsheathing his claws. "I'm a pretty good fighter, too. Do you think you could beat me?" The mottled brown tom crouched down in a hunting position, his tail moving back and forth like a snake.

Leafpaw sneered, flicking his tail and closing his eyes. "Uh, yeah," He snorted, amber eyes glimmering with the prospect of a challenge. "You'll get to see first-off how good I am."

"Unsheathed claws? Or are you afraid of a little blood?" Hawkpaw murmured, stepping forward. Stonepaw couldn't help but notice that the ShadowClan would glance at Grasspaw after he said something; his eyes questioning. Was he trying to impress the WindClan apprentice?

"Unsheathed, of couse," Leafpaw mewed, unsheathing his claws. _They're huge! _Stonepaw thought, his eyes widening as he saw Leafpaw's claws. They were curved and deadly. Stonepaw glanced over at Hawkpaw and saw him looking at Leafpaw's claws with doubt in his eyes; he was obviously rethinking challenging the ThunderClan apprentice. "You want to make the first move, Hawkpaw?" Leafpaw asked smoothly. "It's the least I can do for the beating you're about to receive."

Snarling, Hawkpaw launched himself at Leafpaw, claws glinting in the dark. Leafpaw nimbly dodged Hawkpaw's attack and caught hold of Hawkpaw's tail with his claws; raking his thorn-sharp claws down the ShadowClan apprentice's tail. Hawkpaw shrieked as he landed with a thud on the floor, but quickly recovered. Shaking his head, Hawkpaw charged at Leafpaw again. But instead of dodging, Leafpaw jumped and landed on the ShadowClan apprentice's back. Hawkpaw rolled over to try and crush Leafpaw, but Leafpaw nimbly jumped away and pinned Hawkpaw on his back as he was rolling. Then, for the finale, Leafpaw raked his claws down Hawkpaw's flank.

"Okay, okay, okay!" Hawkpaw spat, admitting mercy. "I'm down, I'm down! You won! You're an amazing fighter, better than me; happy?" _Hawkpaw's all talk, so he's not really that hard; I could beat him. But Leafpaw's quickness and nimble moves were impressive... I wouldn't want to fight him. _

"That was great," purred Grasspaw, encircling Leafpaw. "You truly are an _incredible_ fighter." Grasspaw's voice took on a tone that Stonepaw hadn't even heard her use with Hawkpaw, her previous fling; it was as smooth as honey and inviting. Leafpaw took the bait and flicked her muzzle with his tail. Then, he looked up and observed the cats watching him, his eyes boring into Wrenpaw's. Wrenpaw still remained impassive; unimpressed. It made Stonepaw wonder about the elusive ShadowClan apprentice. "Do I have any other challengers?" He mewed, his voice silky with arrogance. "How about you, Wrenpaw? You haven't said a word this whole meeting."

Wrenpaw's eyes remained cool. "I'm just observing," She mewed. "And no, I will pass on challenging you. I thought this was supposed to be a friendly Gathering, not a battle. I'm not interested in fighting besides protecting my Clan, but I do admit your skills are sharp."

"Thanks," replied Leafpaw, his amber eyes glimmering with an emotion Stonepaw couldn't place. "I heard you beat up my loud-mouthed kin today, Flamepaw. I'd like to thank you for that. He won't be walking around for awhile, and maybe that'll teach him to keep his mouth shut."

A smile appeared on Wrenpaw's face. "Thank you," She mewed. "He attacked me first, so I gave him a small warning. You're both arrogant, but at least you can back up your claims. That Flamepaw, however, cannot. Hopefully my beating taught him that."

Leafpaw smirked. "Me, too," He glanced up at the sky; it was late. He glanced at the cats and Grasspaw. "This meeting was fun. I agree with Hawkpaw, we should meet more regularly. But we'll see each other tomorrow, so I'm going to call it a night." He turned to Grasspaw. "Grasspaw, can you please show me an open route to ThunderClan? As you know, my fall covered the original one."

"Sure," mewed Grasspaw, her eyes sparkling. Glancing at Hawkpaw, Stonepaw saw that his facial expression was full of anger and hate. Him and Grasspaw had a thing for a few moons, but Stonepaw supposed that was over now that Grasspaw had found a stronger friend. "Follow me."

Rockpaw glanced at Stonepaw. "I'm going to leave, too. I know it's early, but I have to get my rest; Onestar told me I'm going to the Gathering tomorrow, so I'll see you." He flicked his tail on Stonepaw's flank, and Stonepaw nodded. Him and Rockpaw were the quieter ones; they preferred to not boast. Stonepaw was outgoing, but not in the types of situations like tonight. He didn't want to cause any trouble with Leafpaw.

"Yeah, we'll go, too," Streampaw said, casting jealous glances at Grasspaw. "I'm so tired." She approached Stonepaw, her paws weary and clumsy. Stonepaw could tell his sister was tired, but he was wide awake. He didn't know why; maybe the apprentice meeting excited him. Or some cat excited him, but he didn't know who. The gray apprentice saw the ShadowClan cats leaving, and then Stonepaw realized what had excited him: Wrenpaw. She was so mysterious and... Stonepaw didn't know. He didn't have a crush on her, he just wanted to break open her shell and know who she was. She seemed very interesting to him.

On their way back to RiverClan, Streampaw couldn't stop talking about Leafpaw. "I know CrossClan relationships are wrong," She mewed, "But there's something about him; you know? He's just so tough, and his arrogance is really cute. I don't know why he'd go for a she-cat like Grasspaw, though. Everyone knows she dumps cats after, like, two moons. He should've paid more attention to a decent she-cat like Mousepaw... or me."

"Uh, yeah," Stonepaw mewed. "Wrenpaw didn't seem too interested in him, though. I was surprised; all of the other she-cats were mooning over him. She was the coolest one. She wasn't scared of him, and she wasn't upset that he had chosen Grasspaw."

"What, do you have a thing for Wrenpaw?" Streampaw asked with a sideways glance. "Do you even know about her? Who she is?" His sister understood him, but not enough. She was the typical she-cat; always talking about toms, how her hair looked, and how pretty she wanted to make the den. Dumb stuff that Stonepaw wouldn't be caught alive talking about.

"No," Stonepaw replied. "I don't have a thing for her; she just seems very interesting. No one knows about her; that's the funny thing." When Streampaw gave Stonepaw an incredulous look, he knew he had probably said something funny or strange.

"Um, Stonepaw?" Streampaw mewed as they exited the tunnel, "You haven't heard the stories? Stonepaw, she's a _rogue_ that ShadowClan took in. She's not even Clanborn. There's nothing exciting about her, she has rogue blood. Bad blood."

Stonepaw absorbed this. Wrenpaw... a rogue? She wasn't fierce, feisty or rude like other rogues; though. She was built like a Clan cat, too; she looked like a ShadowClan she-cat. Not as big as ThunderClan or RiverClan, but a nice middle; with silent paws and ears that could hear the slightest twig-snap. She definitely couldn't be a rogue... she didn't look like it on the inside or outside. "Wait... really?" He questioned. "But... she's built just like a Clan cat. She looks like a ShadowClan cat. Rogues are usually bigger, and their fur rougher. She didn't have the rogue personality; either."

Streampaw shrugged. They were nearing camp, so the two had to be quiet. "I know, but she's a rogue. That's what matters." She mewed, shaking her head sadly. "I feel bad. She doesn't have a mother or father, and she's in a Clan that hates on rogues. Her life must be harsh."

Stonepaw glared at his sister. He didn't usually get angry; but she didn't even know about Wrenpaw and was judging her. "You're mooning over a tom who's father is half-WindClan and half-ThunderClan! His father's mother is a medicine cat, but that doesn't concern you! He's not even one-hundred percent ThunderClan; and we're not even one-hundred percent RiverClan! We're part ThunderClan, so why can you judge Wrenpaw or any cat like that when we're not fully RiverClan?"

Streampaw's blue eyes bore into his, and he knew that she realized that Stonepaw was right. She sighed. "Yeah, but those are all _Clans_. Wrenpaw's a _rogue_; not even part Clan." She settled down in her nest and curled up. "Look, I don't want to fight with you over a ShadowClan she-cat. Goodnight."

"Night," Stonepaw muttered, still angry at his sister. His dreams involved him hunting with flashes of Wrenpaw included, with his sister lecturing him on being interested in such a rogue.

* * *

**AN: Please review, guys! Tell me what you liked and what you didn't! **

**Okay, I introduced the all of main character's POV. The main, main character is obviously Wrenpaw, so I'll be focusing more on her than the others. Enjoy, and remember to review!**


	7. F i v e

**The Legacy of the Three: Chapter Five**

_Wrenpaw ._

"I can't believe the arrogance of that tom. He didn't even give me a chance, and he didn't play fair. He's not even that _good _of a fighter. He's just cocky because he's Lionblaze's son, which means nothing except that your father's halfClan. Which is embarrassing. I'd hate to be Lionblaze's son, actually; who could live knowing they're part WindClan, the cats who can't even climb a tree? I couldn't, plus..."

Wrenpaw had listened to Hawkpaw ranting about Leafpaw the whole night last night, and she woke up with his rant still ringing in her ears. Shaking her head to clear the rant, she stayed in her nest a little bit and reviewed last night. Grasspaw was annoying, Leafpaw was arrogant, Mousepaw and Streampaw seemed nice, Rockpaw was quiet but seemed okay, and Stonepaw seemed decent. Whenever she would glance over at the RiverClan apprentice, his eyes would already be on her. They were full of curiosity, of wonder. That intrigued Wrenpaw. She assumed he wonder meant that he wanted to know more about her; which was strange. No cat had ever looked at her like that, like they were interested in who she was inside, not outside.

"Wrenpaw!" A voice called softly in the apprentice's den. Wrenpaw exited the apprentice's den to find her mentor, Falconwing, smiling at her. "I've just received news from Rowanstar," He mewed, "And he feels that you are ready to receive your warrior name. However, you must complete the typical assessment. First, we will do the hunting assessment. Then, you must fight Rowanstar himself and he will judge you whether or not you're ready." At Wrenpaw's panicked expression, Falconwing smiled. "Don't worry, Wrenpaw. Every ShadowClan cat must spar their leader when they are about to be apprenticed; I had to do it. They'll beat you, of course, but they're judging you on your strategy and how you deal with battling an older, more experienced cat."

Wrenpaw nodded, excitement and nervousness welling up in her stomach. She could possibly become a warrior today... that thought excited her. When Tigerheart said her ceremony was soon, she didn't know it was this soon. She'd only been an apprentice for four moons, and she was honored that Rowanstar thought she was ready. "But, tonight's the Gathering," She pointed out. "How will I keep my vigil?"

Falconwing blinked. "Like normal. You'll just have to skip out on this Gathering, I'm afraid. I know it's hard, but just ask Scorchfur about it. He received his warrior name the night of the Gathering, too. Anyway, we need to start your assessment. Rowanstar and Crowfrost will be evaluating you as well as myself. They were going to have Tigerheart, but fathers don't evaluate their kits; deputy, leader or not. Okay, let's get started."

Falconwing led her to the forest where Rowanstar and Crowfrost were waiting. Rowanstar smiled at Wrenpaw encouragingly. "I know you've been an apprentice for not a long time, but I've been watching your improvement and you learn fast. I believe you are ready. Your hunting skills are good, you just need to work on your tree-hunting, but so do all warriors. I've heard your fighting is excellent." He glanced at the two warriors standing beside him. "Today, your assessment is two things; one, I will be assessing your ground-hunting skills. You have to track down a number of ground-prey in a set amount of time. Then is the tree-hunting assignment. It's very short. You only have to show me you can catch one bird or squirrel; whatever's up in the tree. The ground-prey assignment will continue until you hear my yowl. Okay?" Wrenpaw nodded. "Alright, then. Go hunt. Remember, we'll be watching." Falconwing flicked her shoulder with his tail. "You'll do fine," He murmured in her ear as she ventured out into the forest.

She opened her mouth, scenting for any scents and pricking her ears to hear sounds. A mouse scent hit her nose, and she immediately dropped into a hunter's crouch. Flicking her eyes back and forth, she located the mouse eating a nut by a pine tree. Its back was turned. _Perfect. _Wrenpaw slowly creeped forward, making sure to take her time and stay quiet. Finally, when she was close enough, she pounced. Wrenpaw hooked the mouse in her claws and killed it immediately. She felt her body glowing with pride. She had never made a catch this clean before! She usually stepped on a twig or the mouse squeaked. The ShadowClan apprentice buried the mouse to save for later and continued hunting.

By the time she heard Rowanstar's yowl, she had caught three mice and two squirrels. She was very impressed with herself. Wrenpaw only had one messy catch with the squirrel; it had squeaked, scaring away some of the prey. But she soon found another area teeming with prey, so she hoped Rowanstar, Crowfrost and Falconwing were satisfied. Wrenpaw trotted to the area where she heard Rowanstar's yowl, feeling very proud of herself.

"You did very well in the ground-hunting assessment," murmured Rowanstar. "I'm impressed. Your catches were great; and the squirrel squealing wasn't your fault. You soon recovered afterwards, which made me happy. Then you made up for it by catching two mice in a row. Overall, I am impressed." He led Wrenpaw and the other evaluators to a tree, signaling for them to keep quiet. "There's a squirrel in the top branches of that pine," He whispered, pointing with his tail. "Your job? Climb up the pine and catch the squirrel. You will not have a partner for this, so you don't want to scare it down."

Wrenpaw nodded, determined to do well in this test. She wasn't terrible at tree-hunting, but she wasn't the best. The whole Clan was bad because they had recently learned the skill, but she wanted to prove to Rowanstar that she deserved to be a warrior. Slowly, she climbed up the tree the way Falconwing had drilled her on; putting most of your weight on your front claws and bringing up your back claws one at a time; never jumping. If you jump, the tree shakes, and that scares away the prey.

After climbing up about six tail-lengths, she caught sight of the squirrel. It was nesting in two branches above her, calmly eating a nut. Its back was to her. This would be a difficult catch, because the squirrel was closer to the opposite side of the branch; where Wrenpaw would have to reach to catch it. Still determined, she made her way up the tree until she could easily reach the squirrel. She shimmied her way up a bit more until she was in a comfortable position. Slowly, she reached out and closed her claws around the squirrel. Immediately, the squirrel started flailing, shrieking and clawing at her paw, but Wrenpaw didn't let this affect her. Trying to keep her balance, she brought the squirrel back and gave it a nice nip to its neck. _I did it! _She thought joyously as she made her way down the tree. _I caught the squirrel!_

Falconwing cheered as Wrenpaw reached the ground, the squirrel clutched in her mouth. Crowfrost gave her a nod of approval, and Rowanstar looked impressed. "Nice job," He mewed. "That's a nice squirrel you have there. Let's take all of the prey back to camp, and I'll explain your fighting assignment when we meet at the training pine."

After they collected all of the prey and put it back at camp, the four cats made their way to the training pine; a sandy part of the forest surrounded by pine trees. It was perfect for training. When they arrived, Rowanstar explained the fighting assessment to Wrenpaw. She was already prepared because of what Falconwing told her, but she listened anyway. "You must spar me for the fighting assignment," Rowanstar rumbled. "Claws sheathed, I don't want you getting injured. I don't expect you to win this; I'm looking for how you fight against a much bigger, experienced cat. Okay?" Wrenpaw dipped her head in agreement. "Alright. Crowfrost and Falconwing will be evaluating you as well. Now, we spar."

Crowfrost and Falconwing got out of the way; leaving Rowanstar and Wrenpaw in the middle of the sandy hollow. "You make the first move," Rowanstar instructed. Wrenpaw circled her opponent; trying to remember Falconwing's lessons on dealing with a bigger cat. _Be nimble and quick_. Suddenly, she charged at him, twisting in the air as she tried to pin him down. He easily landed on her back, and Wrenpaw rolled over to try and shake him off. It worked, and the leader was caught underneath her. She tried to flip over and pin him down, but Rowanstar used this to his advantage and flipped Wrenpaw over; but not pinning her on her back. He wound up his paw to give her a cuff, but Wrenpaw twisted away and ducked under his legs. Rowanstar tried to fall on her, but Wrenpaw moved away quickly and he fell on his face. This time, he charged at her; and remembering Leafpaw's move from the night before, at the last second, she dodged him. But he was ready and pivoted on the sand and pinned her down on her back. The fight was over.

"Impressive," Rowanstar mewed when she got up, "Very impressive. I like how you used your smaller size to your advantage. I could see the gears running through your head; you're a very good strategist, and that doesn't come up often." Rowanstar glanced at the other two evaluators. "I've discussed this with them; and we all agree wholeheartedly, you are definitely ready to become a ShadowClan warrior. I'm afraid you'll have to hold your vigil during the Gathering, but I'll hold your ceremony right away." He glanced up at the sky; it was almost sunset. "Let's get going." He meowed, and the four rushed back to camp.

On the way back, Wrenpaw could hardly believe it. She was going to be a _warrior_! She was so proud of herself; she knew that she had worked really hard to come this far, and it surely paid off. Usually, apprentices became warriors after six moons of training, but it was only four for Wrenpaw. This was incredible! She was on a high when she came back to camp, and cats noticed the energy radiating off of her. They knew she was being assessed today, so they guessed what had happened. Some mewed congratulations, but others didn't have time because Rowanstar was calling a meeting.

"All ShadowClan cats who can hunt in the darkness meet under the Hightree for a Clan meeting!" Rowanstar yowled from the Hightree. Most cats were already gathered, but a few stragglers came from their dens to watch. Once all of the cats were gathered, Rowanstar mewed, "Wrenpaw, step forward." The crowd parted to allow Wrenpaw to be at the front. "I, Rowanstar, leader of ShadowClan, call upon my warriors ancestors to look down on this apprentice. She has trained hard to understand the ways of your noble code, and I commend her to you as a warrior in her turn." His gaze settled on Wrenpaw. "Wrenpaw, do you promise to uphold the warrior code and protect and defend your Clan, even at the cost of your life?"

"I do," Wrenpaw said. She was surprised that her voice didn't shake; it sounded strong and sure of herself. The way she liked it.

"Then by the powers of StarClan, I give you your warrior name. Wrenpaw, from this moment on you will be known as Wrensong. StarClan honors your cleverness and skill, and we welcome you as a full warrior of ShadowClan!"

"Wrensong! Wrensong! Wrensong!" The ShadowClan cats called; her father starting the cheer. Then, all of ShadowClan gathered around her, congratulating her and talking to her. The first cat to congratulate her was her father, Tigerheart. His eyes welled up, and he looked ecstatic.

"I'm so proud of you, Wrensong," He meowed after the crowd of cats left. "You make me so proud. I heard that you gave Rowanstar a run for his money! And that you did excellent on your hunting. Actually, I ate one of your squirrels and it tasted good."

"She did give me a run for my money," rumbled Rowanstar from behind Tigerheart, looking down on Wrensong finally. _Wait... if I'm related to Tigerheart, then I'm related to Rowanstar, too!_ Tigerheart looked nervously at his father, and laughed timidly. Glancing from Wrensong to Rowanstar, he meowed quietly, "Father, I need to talk to you about something. It's about Wrensong."

Rowanstar narrowed his eyes at his son. "I already know what you're going to say if it's about Wrensong." He glanced at Wrensong. "How about we all talk in my den?" He led them to his den; which was on top of the Hightree. They wouldn't be disturbed there. Wrensong climbed up the Hightree, apprehension churning in her stomach. She knew what Tigerheart was going to say, and the fact that Rowanstar already knew was more appalling. Rowanstar sat across from Tigerheart and Wrensong, towards the back of his den. His tail was curled neatly over his paws, and he observed his son sadly. "I know that Wrensong is actually your daughter. I'm disappointed that you haven't told me before; though." He turned to Wrensong. "You may speak tonight. Your vigil will be tomorrow night; I am taking you to the Gathering." Wrensong nodded. Why was he taking her to a Gathering?

Tigerheart hung his head. "I just didn't want to burden my daughter. I wanted to tell you after her warrior ceremony, because I didn't want you to judge her when she was an apprentice. I thought that would be the right time to tell you." He glanced up at his father. "But how do you know?"

Rowanstar snorted. "I'm not an idiot, Tigerheart. I know when a cat's a rogue and when it's not. No rogues were scented on our territory, ever; so why would a random kit just pop out of nowhere? Plus, you cared about Wrensong too much when she was a kit. Always bothering Kinkfur. Plus, I could smell the Clan-scent on her. You did a bad job of covering it up." He looked from Wrensong back to Tigerheart. "Are you planning to tell me who the mother is? I already know, but I don't know if Wrensong is mentally prepared yet."

"How do you already know?" Tigerheart whispered. "And why didn't you confront me before?"

"I know that Clan scent when I smell it," growled Rowanstar. "Plus, I saw you hanging out with that she-cat long before the kits were born. I knew exactly what was going on, but I thought you'd have the loyalty to stop it. I made you deputy; wondering if you'd ever confess Wrensong's heritage or your wrong. I didn't confront you because I thought you'd tell me. I was right, in a way."

"Wait," Wrensong mewed, looking back and forth from father to grandfather. "Can someone please fill me in here? Who is my mother? And what Clan-scent did you smell? Why are you so concerned about my parentage? I thought when Tigerheart told me I was his daughter that I was ShadowClan."

"I - I'm afraid you're not," Tigerheart began, looking at his daughter with pleading eyes. "It was for the best for you not to know until now. I mean, you're ShadowClan in every cat's eyes, but you are some of... another Clan. Your mother isn't ShadowClan, but she is part of a Clan."

Wrensong's heart dropped. Ever since her father told her they were actually related, she had thought that she was ShadowClan. She thought her mom was just shy, or the birth wasn't meant to happen. But being half-Clan? That appalled her. "Who's my mother?" She mewed in a whisper.

"Her name is Dovewing," murmured Tigerheart, unable to look her in the eyes. "We used to be mates, but not anymore..." He looked up at his daughter's angry eyes. "Please, let me explain." He mewed. "I... well, she was having more than one kit, and she wanted me to have one to keep in ShadowClan..." He glanced at Rowanstar, whose eyes were hard yet confused. "She gave birth in the forest. I was by her side, and I felt Flametail's presence, too. He was telling me what to do. Anyway, she had three kits. We named the first Flamekit, the second Featherkit, and the final Wrenkit. She allowed me to choose which kit to take, so I chose you." Tigerheart's voice was barely a whisper by the time he ended his story. "I'm so sorry," He whispered. "I should've told you sooner, and I witnessed what happened to Lionblaze and Jayfeather... I just don't want us to be torn apart like them. I want us to remain friends, and I want you to meet your mother."

Wrensong felt hollow. It was just too much. The other day, she had ripped her own brother apart without even knowing. That's why Dovewing and Tigerheart were so horrified. They were watching their kits try to harm each other, and there was nothing they could do about it; or else they'd reveal themselves. "I already did," muttered Wrensong. Suddenly, she turned towards her father, her eyes flashing. "Why didn't you tell me I was ripping apart my own brother when we were fighting? Or I was yelling at my own mother? Does Dovewing even know who I am?"

"Of couse she does," mewed Tigerheart. "Flamepaw, Featherpaw and Bumblestripe know I'm their father, but they don't know that Dovewing had another kit. Flamepaw hates me. Featherpaw is afraid of me, and Bumblestripe loathes me." He shook his head, his eyes clouding with sorrow. "I couldn't tell you your heritage then; Falconwing was right there. I felt so guilty, so I told you after Bumblestripe insulted you. Wrensong," He fixed her with the saddest look she'd ever received, "Please find it in your heart to forgive me. You're all I have left."

Wrensong still loved her father. She couldn't not love him... and she saw where he was coming from. She'd heard stories about Lionblaze, Jayfeather and Hollyleaf... and how their family had been ruined by the secret. She wanted to maintain a strong relationship with her father, and she couldn't be mad at him. "I forgive you," She whispered. "But what's going to happen now? I don't want to live the rest of my life with everyone thinking I'm a rogue."

Rowanstar looked at his son. "You eventually did confess to me about Wrensong and Dovewing, and I will allow you to remain as deputy. However, I would like you to be more open with me in the future. You will always be my son, and nothing can change that." He glanced at Wrensong. "But Wrensong has a good point. She doesn't deserve to be scorned as a rogue for the rest of her life. Tonight, I think, is the perfect opportunity. You and Dovewing should confess your parentage to all of the Clans. Make it known that your relationship has ended and you both remain loyal to your Clans, but you simply wanted what was best for your children. I will support you, and I'm sure Bramblestar will do the same, being that you're kin."

Tigerheart gasped. "Father! Dovewing and I aren't close anymore; and I don't want my kits to be ridiculed like Lionblaze and Jayfeather. That'll just look bad on our Clan." Tigerheart was right; it would tarnish ShadowClan's reputation. Maybe it was best if Wrensong continued pretending to be a rogue after all.

"No," Rowanstar mewed firmly. "I will speak to Bramblestar about this before the announcement, and I want you, Dovewing and your kits to talk about it if they're there. If they aren't, I will send Wrensong back to carry out her vigil and the announcement will be postponed. But it will happen; there are consequences to your actions."

"Maybe you should tell the Clan before all of the Clans," murmured Wrensong. "And see how they take it. You should tell Dovewing to do the same." It was almost time to leave for the Gathering, so they had to act fast.

Rowanstar nodded at his granddaughter. "Wise choice, Wrensong. Alright, Tigerheart; send Wrensong over to ThunderClan to explain the situation to Bramblestar and Dovewing. But you must move fast; the Gathering is about to begin."

* * *

**AN: Tigerheart told the truth! Dun dun dunnn**

**& I just realized that all of the main characters are related to ThunderClan somehow. Galekit is technically because he's related to cats _in_ ThunderClan, I know that doesn't really count but I'll count it. ;) ThunderClan rulez**

**Spoiler alert next POV will be Wrensong, again. You'll see. I had it on this chapter, but it was way too long u_u**


	8. S i x

**The Legacy of the Three: Chapter Six**

_Wrenpaw ._

Wrensong ran as fast as her legs could carry her to ThunderClan. She prayed that Bramblestar would disagree with the idea of announcing it to all Clans, but she knew he'd be interested because they were kin. Sighing, she reached the border and scented for the strongest smells. She'd never been on ThunderClan territory before; and was overwhelmed by all of the different scents and noises. It was definitely a much richer territory in prey and plant life than ShadowClan. She opened her senses and followed the strongest ones through the territory. Tigerheart told her that the strongest scents would lead to the camp.

Tigerheart... she forgave her father, she really did, but she couldn't help but being disappointed. Sure, her believing she was a rogue made her want to work harder and prove herself, but it would've been nice to know that she wasn't too much of an outsider. She was glad he fessed up eventually, though.

Wrensong arrived at a thorn barrier and assumed this was the entrance to the camp; the smells of cats was overwhelming, so the camp had to be in here. She ducked underneath it and emerged into the ThunderClan camp. Cats were milling about, eating freshkill and sharing tongues. She was immediately noticed the second she stepped paw in camp. "Intruder!" yowled a golden tabby apprentice; a she-cat. "A ShadowClan cat is here!"

"I'm not an intruder," Wrensong mewed firmly, addressing the camp. "I came here to speak with Dovewing and Bramblestar in private. I was sent here by Rowanstar, and it's urgent. I must speak to Bramblestar and Dovewing immediately."

Brackenfur, a golden brown tabby tom and ThunderClan's temporary deputy, stepped forward, dipping his head. "Why does Rowanstar need to speak with Bramblestar before the Gathering? Can't it be settled then?" He was the typical ThunderClan cat; a noble warrior who wanted to impress his leader.

"No!" Wrensong mewed, hoping a note of urgency entered her voice. "I really need to speak with both of them. This involves both of our Clans, and it's very crucial. Please take me to Bramblestar and bring Dovewing."

Brackenfur flicked his tail. "Alright, but this better be important." He turned to a cream-colored she-cat. "Rosepetal, fetch Dovewing and bring her to Bramblestar's den." The she-cat nodded and dashed over to a den. Brackenfur nodded to Wrensong. "Bramblestar's den is up there, on the ledge," He pointed with his tail. "I'll lead you up there. Just be careful, the rocks are slippery." They both scaled the ledge and arrived at Bramblestar's den. "Bramblestar," Brackenfur mewed from outside of the ThunderClan leader's den, "Wrensong has been sent by Rowanstar and needs to speak to you and Dovewing immediately."

"Let her in," Bramblestar rumbled from somewhere inside the cave. Brackenfur led her in the den and then left, leaving great-uncle and niece together. "Wrensong," smiled Bramblestar. "What has Rowanstar sent you to ask me before the Gathering? I hope it's of importance."

"It is," Wrensong mewed as Dovewing entered. "It involves Dovewing, me and Tigerheart."

Bramblestar looked interested. "Go on."

"Well, you may not know this," Wrensong said. "But I'm not a rogue. I'm actually Tigerheart's kit, and I'm part ThunderClan, too." She glanced at Dovewing, who sighed and looked down. "I'm Dovewing's kit. I'm Flamepaw and Featherpaw's sister."

Bramblestar closed his eyes, absorbing what Wrensong had just said. Slowly, he opened his eyes and turned to Dovewing. "Dovewing, is this true?"

"Yes," admitted Dovewing, glancing at Wrensong every so often. "It's true. But, I told my kits and Bumblestripe that Tigerheart was the father. I thought it was private and I chose not to share it. However, I never told them that there was a third kit. I didn't want them to be too torn. When I gave birth to my kits in the forest, Tigerheart was with me. I told him he could take one kit to ShadowClan so he didn't feel torn between his family's Clan and his Clan, and he took Wrensong. I didn't think she knew until now." Dovewing sighed, and looked at her daughter. "It has torn me apart to see you grow up in another Clan, and your father feels the same way about Flamepaw and Featherpaw. I hope you forgive me... I was trying to right my wrong."

"I already forgave Tigerheart," replied Wrensong. "So I don't see why I didn't forgive you. But I have one question; when I was ripping my brother apart, why didn't you say anything? I'm the one who tore Flamepaw open, yet you didn't mutter a word."

"I wish I could," Dovewing mewed sadly, "But I couldn't. I watched in horror as you two fought each other; unknowing you were brother and sister. I'm sorry I couldn't be there for your warrior or apprentice ceremony. I'm sorry I couldn't be there for you."

"This is all very heartwarming," growled Bramblestar, "But I don't see why you're telling me this, Wrensong. Does Rowanstar want to tear my Clan apart? Why are you telling me this right before a Gathering?" He turned to Dovewing. "And why didn't you tell me of this? I've been through this before; I know how to it feels. It almost tore my relationship to my mate to pieces."

"I - I don't know," admitted Dovewing. "Maybe because these kits are your kin, too... I'm sorry, Bramblestar. Punish me as you wish."

"I'll deal with you later," rumbled Bramblestar. "Wrensong?" He prompted.

"Rowanstar wants Tigerheart to announce to all of the Clans my true parentage, and Flamepaw and Featherpaw's," Wrensong admitted. "He doesn't want one of his warriors to be known as the rogue, and he thinks all of the Clans have a right to know. It's my father's punishment."

Dovewing gasped. "Bramblestar, you won't let him do this!" She mewed. "You know what happened when this Hollyleaf did this to you! It almost ruined your relationship with Squirrelflight."

Bramblestar observed Wrensong. "Rowanstar has a point," He growled. "Dovewing, you were not honest before, and Wrensong had to suffer being mocked all of her life, yet you did nothing. She grew up believing she was an outsider. I know how that feels. Also, I don't want to punish you too harshly, and this seems like a perfect medium. I think you and Tigerheart should announce this to the Clans. It will come as no surprise to Bumblestripe because he already knows."

"Rowanstar suggested that you announce it to your Clan first," mewed Wrensong. "So there are no surprises at the Gathering."

"That is wise," agreed Bramblestar. "Dovewing, I'm sorry; but this is your punishment for not being truthful. I know you tried to do the right thing, but you must deal with the repercussions." He turned to Wrensong. "I would like you to stay for the meeting. You may be greeted with hostility, but I want the Clan to know." He got up, his tail twitching. The ThunderClan leader sighed. "Alright, I'm calling this meeting before the Gathering. Dovewing, you best get Flamepaw out of the medicine cat den."

_My fault._ Wrensong thought sadly. _It's my fault he's in there._

Wrensong and Dovewing made their way down the ledge, not exchanging words. When they reached the ground, Dovewing looked at Wrensong sadly. "I - I just want you to know how sorry I am, that you didn't have a mother in your life," She mewed quietly. "My kits had a father figure, yet you had no one. I hope you can forgive me, and I would like to be more a part of your life."

"It's okay," Wrensong whispered. "You can't change the past. What's done is done."

Dovewing brushed her tail over her daughter's face before padding away to Jayfeather's den. Wrensong heard Bramblestar call, "All cats that are old enough to catch their own prey meet under the Highledge for a Clan meeting." The ShadowClan warrior glanced up at the sky; it was still sunset. There was still time to prepare for the Gathering announcement that could change everything. As ThunderClan gathered around her, she heard murmurs of, "What's she doing here?" "Why is a ShadowClan rogue here?" She ignored these comments and held her head high.

Out of the corner of her eye, she saw Flamepaw limping out of the medicine cat's den. His eyes flared up the moment he saw her, and his claws unsheathed. _He's my brother, and he hates me._ Wrensong thought sadly, staring at the ground.

"I have an announcement - actually, Dovewing has an announcement before the Gathering," Brambleclaw rumbled from the Highledge. "This message will be repeated at the Gathering by her and Tigerheart as a repercussion. Dovewing, please step forward." Dovewing padded to the center of the cats and mewed,

"After the Great Battle, I found out something," She began. "I was pregnant. I was so happy, thinking they were Bumblestripe's. But I knew deep down they weren't, Bumblestripe and I hadn't become that close yet." She sighed. "They were Tigerheart's, a warrior from ShadowClan's." The gasps of the ThunderClan cats were audible; and some growled in disappointment. Wrensong couldn't blame them; this was the second time this had happened to ThunderClan. "I knew I couldn't continue the affair. I became closer with Bumblestripe and confided in him, and he was fine with it. He promised that we'd raise the kits together. But Tigerheart was heartbroken, so I made him a compromise. I said that I'd give one of my kits for him to have in ShadowClan. At that time, Blackstar had just died and Tigerheart was recently made deputy. I didn't want him to get tempted to join ShadowClan, and he agreed. So, I gave birth with him in the forest. I had three kits... Flamekit, Featherkit... and Wrenkit."

Wrensong felt all of ThunderClan's eyes on her the second Dovewing uttered, "Wrenkit". She ignored the stares and held her head up high, not letting the oh-so-noble ThunderClan warriors get to her. _You all think you're so noble, but your cats run off with cats from other Clans all the time._

"Tigerheart chose Wrenkit, and pretended he found her on ShadowClan territory. She was raised up as a rogue," Dovewing's voice cracked on the last word. "But she wasn't. She grew up an outsider; never knowing that she actually was a Clanborn cat. Tigerheart never told her; although I told my kits that Tigerheart was their father. They never knew they had a sister, though; I didn't want to burden them with that. Tigerheart recently told Wrenpaw - Wrensong now of her true parentage, and Rowanstar knew, so as a punishment he wants Tigerheart and I to announce this at the Gathering." Her blue eyes were orbs of sadness. "I'm sorry for lying to you all."

As she finished, Wrensong heard a thousand roars and insults being aimed at her. She didn't move, just observed the ThunderClan cats.

"Are you going to join ThunderClan now?" asked the golden tabby apprentice Wrensong had seen upon her arrival to ThunderClan.

"Never!" Wrensong yowled. "Just because I'm half-ThunderClan doesn't mean I want to join! I'm a ShadowClan cat until the day I die; I don't care where my siblings and mother live. It didn't matter before, and it doesn't matter now." She looked up at Bramblestar. "I must go now, I'm going to the Gathering and I need to get back to my Clan. I'm sorry."

"It's not your fault," Bramblestar mewed down at her. "Don't feel sorry."

Wrensong was beginning to pad out of the camp when a voice called her name. She turned around to see a beautiful silver tabby with bright blue eyes padding over to her. _Featherpaw; my sister... _Featherpaw's eyes were wide and sad. "We're... sisters," She murmured. "I - I just wanted to say hi. Maybe we can talk at the Gathering or something."

Wrensong felt uneasy; she didn't want to get too attached to her family here. "Uh, yeah, maybe," She mewed, backing out of the Clan. "Look; I'm sorry, but I really have to go. I'm sorry... I'm sorry we had to meet this way..." Featherpaw smiled sadly at Wrensong.

"Me, too," She agreed. "I'm sorry... Flamepaw's not well, but I'm sure.. I'm sure he'd love to meet you sometime. Maybe next Gathering."

Wrensong laughed. "I doubt it; I'm the one who injured him. I wish I'd known... anyway, I really have to go, bye." Before she teared up, Wrensong fled the Clan; wondering what her life would be like if she lived in ThunderClan. Perhaps her and Featherpaw would be very close. She would probably be annoyed with Flamepaw all the time, but she could picture her and Featherpaw being best friends. The thought made her so upset that she sobbed for the life she could've had.

* * *

Wrensong was headed to the Gathering immediately as she stepped foot into camp. Tigerheart had already announced it to the Clan; and when he did, cats attitudes changed drastically. Most hatred was aimed at Tigerheart for taking a mate, but some cats like Toadfoot and Ratscar wouldn't talk to her anymore. It wasn't her fault; but Wrensong didn't feel as if Tigerheart should be blamed for it, either. At least he told the truth.

As they entered the island, Wrensong stayed close to Tigerheart. She could hear news spreading of her true birth already; for a group of WindClan cats glared at her as she passed by. Toadfoot was talking to them, so Wrensong guessed that he told the group.

"Tigerheart!" A familiar voice behind the two made them both spin around. Dovewing was there, with Featherpaw and Flamepaw. Flamepaw was limping, but he wasn't glaring at Wrensong with his usual hate. He just looked confused, and lost. "Tigerheart, I want you to officially meet your kits before the announcement."

Flamepaw scrunched up his nose. "I was dragged here to meet ShadowClan cats who Dovewing claims are my family," He grumbled, his eyes flicking to Wrensong. "If they're my family, why did you let Wrensong rip apart my stomach? I'm out for at least a quarter moon."

"Hi, Wrensong," Featherpaw mewed sweetly, managing a smile. However, in her eyes, Wrensong saw longing and wonder; she was probably thinking the same things Wrensong was. What would happen if they were all raised together; the bonds they could've had.

"Hi," Wrensong mewed to her sister. Turning to Flamepaw, she dipped her head. "I'm sorry for crippling you. Had I known we were brother and sister, I may have been a little nicer. But I'm a loyal ShadowClan cat through and through, and if we meet in battle, I won't hesitate to fight any of my kin in order to protect my Clan."

"We would do the same," Featherpaw agreed. "So would Flamepaw. I'd prefer to stay away from you in battle, but if we do meet, I'll do whatever it takes to protect my Clan." Her eyes gleamed. "Do you want to meet your ThunderClan kin? I already know my ShadowClan kin; Rowanstar and Tigerheart, but you need to meet your ThunderClan family. Follow me."

Wrensong glanced at her father, and he gave a small nod; signaling that it was safe to do so. "Okay," Wrensong mewed, following her sister into the crowd. Featherpaw led her to a golden tom with amber eyes and huge muscles; Lionblaze. "This is Lionblaze," She mewed. Lionblaze glanced at Wrensong, hurt and memory present in his eyes; and nodded to her. Featherpaw led Wrensong to a light brown tabby tom, a white she-cat, and a longhaired white tom. "This is Birchfall, Whitewing, and Cloudtail." She pointed to them respectively. They all mewed hello's and how are you's, but Wrensong could tell they were forced.

"This is Squirrelflight and Leafpool," Featherpaw introduced the two she-cats that had experience with what Wrensong was going through. They mewed sad hello's, and Squirrelflight observed Wrensong sadly. Featherpaw noticed this, and led Wrensong away to a group of apprentices. The golden tabby she-cat was in the group. "These are ThunderClan apprentices. We're all cousins. These are Squirrelflight's kits; Firepaw and Hollypaw. And these are Lionblaze's kits, Honeypaw and Leafpaw." The golden tabby she-cat, Honeypaw, smiled at Wrensong. Wrensong had no idea she was Leafpaw's sister. To Leafpaw's credit, he mewed; "Nice to meet you," as if they never met before.

Suddenly, a hush fell over the crowd as Mistystar yowled for the Gathering to start. Wrensong felt Featherpaw push against her; and the silver tabby she-cat was trembling. "It'll be okay," Wrensong promised, trying to comfort her sister. "I hope," Featherpaw responded.

"I will start," Mistystar mewed from the lower branches of the tree. "RiverClan has been thriving in greenleaf, and we are prepared and ready for leaf-fall. I am back to full leadership after I recovered from my kitting. That is all. Onestar?" She glanced at the WindClan leader, who stepped forward. He looked very frail, and was trembling. "Galekit was stolen from us out of nowhere by a tom named Alpine," He mewed. He waited until the gasps of the cats died down until he continued. "He was recovered, but Alpine disappeared. I'm advising you to stay on the lookout for a grayish-white tom with blue eyes. His name is Alpine."

Bramblestar stepped forward. "We have a new warrior, Emberwing." The Clans cheered for him. "And two new apprentices; Hollypaw and Firepaw." The Clans cheered for these apprentices as well. "ThunderClan is doing very well in greenleaf." His eyes darkened as he beckoned Rowanstar forward.

"We have a new warrior, Wrensong," Rowanstar mewed. "And my deputy, Tigerheart, and a ThunderClan warrior, Dovewing, would like to make an announcement." The Clans murmured as the two cats climbed up the tree and stood on a lower branch separated from the leaders.

Wrensong's throat tightened and butterflies erupted in her stomach. Beside her, Featherpaw tightened and Wrenpaw could feel her shaking. It was very nerve-wracking; how would the Clans accept Tigerheart and Dovewing's confession? Would they blame the kits, or the parents? Or forget about it all together? Wrensong highly doubted the latter; but there was still hope.

"We have a confession," Tigerheart mewed; his voice firm and loud. "Dovewing and I." Dovewing stepped forward, her eyes a flurry of different emotions. Wrensong felt bad for her mother. "After the Great Battle, Tigerheart and I became... close. We both realized this was disloyal too late; I was already pregnant. I confided in my current mate, Bumblestripe, and he was alright with it... he accepted it. But Tigerheart was so torn... so I made a compromise. He'd bring one of our kits to ShadowClan so he didn't feel badly with his family in ThunderClan. I wanted him to have _someone_, because I knew he'd break without anyone. I gave birth in the forest, and he was there with me. I had three kits; Flamekit, Featherkit, and Wrenkit."

"I chose Wrenkit," Tigerheart rumbled. "I brought her back to ShadowClan and claimed I found her mewling on ShadowClan territory and she was a rogue. My father knew better, and smelled the ThunderClan scent on her. He immediately knew who the kit was, because our relationship wasn't exactly a secret. He let her in, hoping that I'd confide the real truth to him. But I only recently admitted to Wrensong and Rowanstar who Wrensong's real family was. I wanted to admit that I am the father of Wrensong, Featherpaw and Flamepaw, and I don't regret a thing."

"Nor do I," Dovewing growled. "And if any cat has a problem, deal with Tigerheart and I. Do not blame our kits for something that isn't their fault."

Wrensong shouldered her way to the front of the Gathering. Dovewing and Tigerheart made it sound like they were all a happy family, when they weren't. Wrensong had only just formally met her brother, sister and mother; they weren't all buddy-buddy now. No, she had to tell the Clans the real truth. "I just want all of the Clans to know that this doesn't change anything!" She yowled from the bottom of the tree. "I'm still a loyal ShadowClan cat, and if I have to fight my own kin, I will for the sake of my Clan. My loyalties have not changed. I am not more biased towards ThunderClan; and I know my siblings feel the same way about ShadowClan. In fact, I admit to being the cat who severely injured my own brother, Flamepaw. My parents were present as I ripped him apart; yet they didn't utter a word. That's how I want it to be. I don't want cats raising eyebrows if when a battle comes and I injure one of my _many_ kin. I'm a ShadowClan cat, and nothing, not even this, will ever change that!"

The ShadowClan cats cheered, and Wrensong made her way to the back of the crowd, not wanting to talk to any cat right now. There was a yowl, and Wrensong took it that the Gathering was over. She didn't wait for her Clan; she ran home. She didn't want to speak to any cat; ever.


	9. S e v e n

**The Legacy of the Three: Chapter Seven**

_Stonepaw ._

Stonepaw was present at the Gathering, and during Tigerheart and Dovewing's announcement, he felt dismayed. He pitied Wrensong, Flamepaw, Featherpaw and what they had to go through. He couldn't image what he'd feel if Streampaw was in another Clan and he had discovered they were siblings after fighting and severely injuring her. It was unfathomable, and plain sad. He didn't blame the kits, of course; he just wished that Tigerheart and Dovewing had been more honest. But most of all, he felt terrible for Wrensong. How could one possibly live in ShadowClan being halfClan? He wouldn't be surprised if she was killed.

It was the day after the Gathering, and RiverClan business continued. Stonepaw noticed that Freeze and Mistystar had gone out to talk about Freeze's warrior ceremony. Freeze was a gray cat that had come to RiverClan in the winter after _freez_ing in the cold. Stonepaw thought this was funnily coincidental, and he would laugh whenever a cat would repeat the story. The story still made him chuckle a bit to this day.

"Hey," Icewing, his mentor mewed, as she approached him. "I'm going to teach you how to fish while swimming today. It's kind of complicated, but I'm sure you'll be able to master it." Icewing and Stonepaw got along fairly well; Icewing was a nice mentor, and Stonepaw respected her. They weren't best friends or anything, but they were friendly. At the flick of Icewing's tail, he followed her out of the camp and to the largest river on the territory. Icewing got into the river and demonstrated what she wanted Stonepaw to learn.

"When you're in the water, the fish will swim down deeper. The rivers are clean here, so it's easy to see them if you duck under and open your eyes. You know how everything is slower? So timing is key. Here, come into the water and practice your slashes so you get used to the slower movements."

Stonepaw jumped into the water with a big splash making Icewing flinch. He laughed and ducked underwater, slashing as fast as he could. Icewing was right; the movement was much slower. But Stonepaw soon caught onto it and emerged above water. "I think I'm ready to try hunting my first fish underwater," He declared. Icewing's whiskers twitched in amusement, and she flicked her tail, signaling for him to go. She was now on shore, watching him carefully.

Stonepaw ducked underwater and swam silently to the bottom, keeping his eyes open for any signs of movement. He couldn't see very well underwater, but any small movement was a fish. Below him, he saw a fish floating quietly in the water. Taking his chance, Stonepaw tried to catch it, but the fish saw him at the last second and swam away. _Fishdung!_ Stonepaw thought, feeling embarrassed. He resurfaced for a quick breath of air; not wanting to talk to Icewing, and swam back under. _You'll catch_ _something. _

He saw another movement and reached under to slash it, and felt his claws hook slimey scales. Stonepaw quickly brought the struggling fish up to his mouth and gave it the killing bite. Joyously, he brought the fish up and laughed triumphantly as Icewing caught sight of it. She nodded to him. "Impressive," She mewed. "I was just introducing this method to you today; we'll practice it later. I need to go on the sunhigh patrol and Reedwhisker wants you to go forest-hunting solo. He'll be assessing you."

Stonepaw dropped the fish and mewed, "Assessing me? What do you mean? Like; assessing me on if I can become a warrior or not?" Usually warriors didn't assess apprentices until they were ready to become warriors. Stonepaw had about two moons left of training, so he didn't expect to become a warrior anytime soon.

Icewing laughed. "No, not yet, I'm afraid. Mistystar and Reedwhisker have devised a new training program which assesses you on your skills after your mentor thinks you've mastered them. I went to them and thought you were ready to be assessed on forest-hunting and regular fishing, but they're only assessing you on forest hunting today. Mistystar is speaking with Freezeheart I think, so Reedwhisker will be evaluating you. Plus, Mistystar can't assess you because she's your mother and that's not allowed."

The dark gray apprentice nodded; but he didn't understand why Reedwhisker would be evaluating him when Reedwhisker was his brother. "Alright, got it," He mewed, deciding not to press the matter. "Should I meet Reedwhisker in camp and continue from there? Or is he waiting for me in the forest?"

"He's waiting by Smallcreeks," Icewing meowed. "Meet him there; I'll take your fish back to camp. I'd hurry if I were you, you know how impatient your brother can be." With a flick of her tail, Icewing picked up the fish and darted away from the river.

Stonepaw dove into the water as he swam over to Smallcreeks, a twisting path of creeks and streams that contained smaller fish but had thick oaks and pines; it was perfect for forest-hunting. RiverClan didn't usually hunt mice and squirrels, but Mistystar believed that it would help the Clan in leaf-bare, so all RiverClan cats were now mastering forest-hunting techniques. Stonepaw thought it was harder for some cats because of their weight; but he was thin so it was relatively easy for him. Soon, he arrived at Smallcreeks, and sure enough; Reedwhisker was waiting there.

"Hey, Stonepaw," The black tom meowed, brushing his tail on Stonepaw's shoulder. Stonepaw and Reedwhisker were very close; they were moons apart, but they were brothers. Stonepaw had a close bond with all of his family, really. They had the same personalities so there was almost no bickering. "Ready for your forest-hunting assessment?"

"Yeah!" Stonepaw mewed, feeling apprehensive. "I'm hunting around here, right?" Smallcreeks was closest to ShadowClan territory, and Stonepaw always felt like being watched when he was hunting here. StarClan knew what ShadowClan cats did.

"Yep," Reedwhisker answered, his dark blue eyes sparkling. He stood up and cleaned off his sleek, black fur; looking at his brother. "What are you waiting for? Oh, right; this is your first assessment. Okay, I'll be watching you while you hunt. It's no big deal. When you hear my yowl, come see me, I'll tell you how we did; we'll collect the prey. Got it? Okay, then. Go."

Stonepaw dashed into the forest immediately; he wanted to get this assessment over with. He wanted to do well, but he really wanted to practice underwater fishing. The gray apprentice really enjoyed that; he enjoyed being underwater. It was like being in another world.

He opened his senses and waited for a few moments; then, a mouse scent wafted into his nose. Dropping into a hunter's crouch, Stonepaw padded forward until he caught sight of the mouse. It was kind of looking at him, but not really. When he got close enough, Stonepaw leaped and killed the mouse easily. It was fat and slow; a typical greenleaf forest prey.

He continued until he had caught a lot of mice. Stonepaw glanced up at the sky; it was almost sunset. That meant that he had been hunting for awhile, because he started at sunhigh. Was something up? Wouldn't Reedwhisker have yowled by now?

"Hey, Reedwhisker?" Stonepaw called out. Then, he realized Reedwhisker wouldn't answer unless he had a question of some sort. "I have a really important question that kind of needs to be answered now." The forest was silent; there was no response. Stonepaw felt a jolt of apprehension course through his body; and a feeling that something had gone terribly wrong.

Suddenly, if one cue, he heard a familiar screech, followed by a desperate scream. He recognized those two voices. Reedwhisker and his mother! No! Frantically, he dropped all of his mice and sprinted as fast as he could to the source of the noise. It came from an area that he'd never been in before; where the Twolegs occupied. His stomach tightened. Were they being stolen?

The scent of blood wafted through his nose, and Stonepaw panicked. He knew he couldn't be in danger, too, he just wanted to see what was happening. He glanced around for a hiding space and saw a large tree. Narrowing his eyes, Stonepaw launched himself up the tree to a hanging branch so he could get a view of what was going on.

What he saw made him sick, and almost scream. But he held his tongue; he didn't want to be spotted.

Reedwhisker was lying motionless in a pool of blood; his body tattered and ripped. Next to him, Mistystar was lying in an even bigger pool of blood, trembling and faintly calling out Reedwhisker's name in sorrow. Above Mistystar was a gray cat with icy blue eyes; his paws were stained with blood. _No!_ Stonepaw thought. _Freeze!_

It was Freeze; the tom RiverClan had generously taken in when they were starving themselves. Did he kill Mistystar and Reedwhisker? _No, _Stonepaw thought, trying to come up with a sensible conclusion. _A fox killed them, the stench is all over here; and then Freeze killed the fox and is trying to save Mistystar. Maybe Reedwhisker's alive, too._

Mistystar picked up her head and Stonepaw felt a glimmer of hope. She survived the fox attack! But then his worst nightmare came true: Freeze cackled and mewed in a harsh voice, "One more life, Mistystar, and I'll make this the grand finale! I've already killed your son and I'm not afraid to kill you!"

Stonepaw was getting ready to charge down, but then his mother locked eyes on him and shook her head no. "Get help," She mouthed. "I love you." Stonepaw almost gasped; no! Freeze wasn't going to kill his mother! He was preparing to jump when Mistystar gave a final jerk of her head.

"What're shaking your head at?" Freeze challenged, preparing to deal the killing blow. "Your stupidity for actually thinking that I was loyal? Ha! I was visited by a dark striped tom named Darkstripe and he told me all about you. Your buddy-buddy relationship with the ginger tom that died; Firestar, and how you accept weaklings. A fool like you doesn't deserve to rule!" He cackled, his blue eyes flashing. "Darkstripe will be sending a sign to Willowshine, telling her that I'm the rightful leader!"

"StarClan will never accept you," rasped Mistystar, her eyes blue pools of defiance. "You will not get away with this."

"Are those your last words?" snarled Freeze.

"No," Mistystar mewed, locking eyes with Stonepaw again. "These are. 'The freezing cold can never damage a stone; it can freeze the streams and the reeds, and brings forth cold Mist; but it never damages a stone. No matter how cold, the Stone will always be there. A stone can conquer the freezing cold."

Stonepaw opened his mouth wide; his mother was talking about him! But he didn't understand what it meant. She mouthed one last, "I love you," and Stonepaw felt himself tearing up. He didn't know what was happening, but he didn't want his mother to die. He would have challenged Freeze, but his mother said no. Why? He would rather die for his mother's sake than live in a Clan with this murderer. "I love you," Stonepaw mouthed back. He knew what he had to do. He couldn't watch Freeze kill his mother; he had to get out of here and back to camp and warn his sister.

Stonepaw crashed down the tree and bounded towards the camp. He felt real tears coming from his eyes when he heard the final shriek from his mother. _Is this a dream? Why is this happening?_ He knew Freeze would be coming back to camp soon, so he had to alert everyone.

He crashed through the reeds and every cat's eyes were on him. "Murderer!" He shrieked. "Freeze has murdered Mistystar and Reedwhisker! Murderer, murderer!" Stonepaw's last words were drowned out in sobs as he collapsed, and he felt cats crowd around him.

"How do you know?" demanded his father, Heronfang, stepping forward. "Stonepaw, please tell us what happened."

As quick as he could, Stonepaw mewed what happened and what Mistystar had signaled to him. "Freeze covered up the scene with fox stench so it looked like a fox killed her. B-but Freeze is coming back with nine lives, he said a Dark Forest cat would give them to him. And he's gonna kill us all."

The surrounding cats gasped, then started talking to each other quickly and hurriedly. Willowshine stepped forward, her head bowed. "I - I received a dream from StarClan last night," She whispered. "It said that Freeze would be the new leader, even though he would commit a terrible crime. S-so he must be our new leader, if StarClan wills it."

Immediately, the RiverClan cats started protesting with cries of, "Kill him!" "Death to Freeze!" "Why did we ever take in that piece of foxdung?" Others were sobbing due to the loss of Mistystar and Reedwhisker, and Streampaw came up to Stonepaw; pressing against him, her body shaking.

Suddenly, a lightning bolt came from the heavens and struck a reed. The RiverClan cats gasped and backed away, but Willowshine hurried over and inspected the reed. When she spoke, her voice sounded choked. "I - it's frozen," She mewed in hardly a whisper. "It's a sign from StarClan. Freeze is the rightful leader of RiverClan."

* * *

_Freeze . _

He had chosen RiverClan because that was the stupidest Clan. They would take in any outsider; they're so desperate. Mistystar made that Clan weak. It used to be respected; until Leopardstar grew soft and chose Mistyfoot as her deputy. Freeze had heard of the stories of the Clans, he had been raised by a spirit called Darkstripe. Darkstripe promised him power over many cats if he listened to him.

After Freeze stacked up Reedwhisker and Mistystar's dead bodies, he immediately headed towards the Moonpool. WindClan didn't have any patrols about, so it was relatively easy to get to the Moonpool. Following Darkstripe's previous instructions, when he reached the Moonpool, he lapped up the water and immediately was dreaming.

* * *

_Freeze found himself in a dark forest with strange glowing moss and mushrooms. It smelled terrible, and everything about the place screamed evil. Freeze smiled; this was just how he liked it. He liked the evil aura this place gave off. It was a place he could easily live in when he got older; and rule. He was determined to rule in his life and the afterlife. _

_Five cats stepped forward; Darkstripe was one of them. "We are here to give you five lives," Darkstripe growled. "Due to the Great Battle losses, we only have five cats left. StarClan refused to give you lives, so I'm sorry; but you only have five. However, if you pose as having nine, I'm sure the effect will be the same. Anyway, we will present your five lives."_

_A white tom with a scar snaking from his ear-tip to belly stepped forward. "My name is Snowtuft," He growled. "I grant you a life of fearlessness. Use this in battle when fear is getting to you." He stepped forward and placed his paw on top of Freeze's, and unsheathed his claws. There was a small prick, and Freeze felt adrenaline course through his body as he received the life._

_"My name is Silverhawk, and I will grant you the life of cruelty," snarled a ragged pale gray tom. "Use this life when a weakling speaks out to you, or any cat that does not have strength. I expect you to be the strongest leader RiverClan will ever have." He performed the same paw-on-paw ritual that Snowtuft did, and a rush of pain jolted through Freeze. The gray tom narrowed his eyes during it; he would not let pain affect him._

_A mottled ginger and brown tom approached him next. He had scars dotting his pelt and a nick on his ear. He introduced himself as Redwillow, and mewed in a clipped voice, "I give you a life of power. Use it to crush those weaker than you and control your Clan." Another shock of pain coursed through Freeze, and another cat stepped forward. His name was Antpelt, and he gave Freeze a life for darkness._

_Next, Darkstripe stepped forward. His yellow eyes were full of pride and joyousness. "My... apprentice," He purred, circling Freeze. "You have done me well, and I give you your final life; strategic thinking. I expect you to use it in your conquest of taking over the Clans." Freeze felt a rush as he received his life. "I now hail you as Freezestar," growled Darkstripe. "You are now the leader of RiverClan. Remember our plan."_

_Freezestar smiled as the Dark Forest cats chanted. He felt power surge through his paws; he was truly invincible. _

* * *

**AN: Am I not getting any reviews because of the longer length of this fanfic? On my old fanfic I had quite a bit of reviews, but the chapters were much shorter. Any feedback would be nice, thanks in advance :))**

**Btw, I'm not limiting the POV's to the 4 main characters. There will be more cats. But to keep it a bit consistent, Wrensong will be the POV for every other chapter.**

**The plot has surfaced! ;) There will be subplots of course but this is the main one ~ if you can already figure it out.**

**Review, please?**


	10. E i g h t

**The Legacy of the Three: Chapter Eight**

_Wrensong ._

The next day, Wrensong slept in. She finished her vigil last night, the night of the Gathering, and it was extended until sunhigh so she kept a proper vigil. Honestly, Wrensong was a bit afraid to wake up. The ShadowClan meeting about her true birth happened when she was in ThunderClan, so Wrensong had no idea what her Clanmates thought about her half-Clan parentage. She hoped they still respected her; they had respected her as a rogue, so why not now?

She woke up, her eyes blurry and distant. After blinking, Wrensong regained sight and lifted herself up onto her paws. She padded outside to find that the camp was completely deserted. It was nighttime, yet Wrensong wasn't tired. She glanced at the freshkill pile and quickly ate a mouse, then without knowing what she was doing, wandered into the forest.

Eventually, she came across the entrance to the tunnels. She flicked her eyes back and forth; checking to see if she was being watched, before slowly descending into the underground. Wrensong didn't like the stuffiness and trapped feeling she felt while in the tunnels, but she sucked it up and continued walking. Wrensong saw the light at the end of the tunnel and knew she was reaching the Cross. She hoped that no apprentices were there; she came down here to escape everyone, and she didn't want to hear what the apprentices thought about her parentage. The new ShadowClan warrior really didn't feel like being criticized for her halfClan parentage by anyone.

She emerged to the Cross to see a black cat bending over the river; his shoulders stooped and his head dipped. The cat looked like he was grieving about something; and he carried the scent of the moors and the wind. Wrensong had smelled this scent at the Gathering; this was a WindClan cat. The cat was small, and Wrensong would have thought he was an apprentice had she not smelled the WindClan scent on him. In WindClan all cats were small, so this cat had to be a WindClan warrior. Upon smelling Wrensong, he whipped around and glared at Wrensong with amber eyes. "ShadowClan!" He hissed, his fur beginning to bristle. "What are you doing here? How do you know about the tunnels?"

Wrensong was taken aback by his hostility; Hawkpaw had told her that all cats were nice to each other regardless of Clan in the Cross. "There is an entrance in my Clan that only a select number of cats know about," Wrensong replied, her tail flicking nervously. "Look, I thought if you were in the Cross, you were supposed to be nice. I was looking for some time away from all of my Clanmates and I don't want to be snarled at."

The black cat's eyes grew soft as he bent his head; flicking an ear nervously. He looked sheepish and ashamed as he replied, "Oh, uh, me too. I needed to get away from my Clanmates as well. But I've never heard of the Cross, so I don't know what you're talking about. I thought only WindClan and ThunderClan cats knew about these tunnels and had access to them."

"Oh, no," Wrensong mewed. "The Cross is a place discovered by a young warrior. Cats from all of the Clans meet here, because there's no boundaries here. Only apprentices and newer warriors know about it, though. Also, if you see two cats from different Clans here, you are forbidden to tell any other cat. All cats are here for the same reason, so why spoil your fun as well?"

The WindClan tom looked faintly amused and interested. "Ah, it's a meeting place, now?" He asked, his whiskers twitching. "When I was an apprentice hardly any cat knew about this place, but my friend Heatherpaw and I discovered them. The tunnels are both a curse and a blessing." Wrensong noticed that at the mention of his friend Heatherpaw, the black cat's eyes grew watery and sad.

Wrensong didn't know how to reply, so she decided to be friendly for a change. "What's your name?" She asked politely, adding: "I know you're WindClan because it's the only scent I don't recognize, and you smell of moors. You already know I'm ShadowClan. My name is Wrensong."

The black tom's eyes widened. "Wrensong? Like, the cat who was recently found to be both ThunderClan and ShadowClan?" Wrensong nodded, feeling embarrassed that the news had been gossiped about. "I know how you feel," The tom mewed sympathetically. "My name's Breezepelt. You probably know me from your father; who hates me now."

Breezepelt? Wrensong had heard many stories about this tom. Her father told her stories of how Breezepelt was very loyal to what he had a passion for; but could be dark-hearted. He always wanted to prove himself, his father said, his siblings were the Three and he felt like he wasn't good enough in his father's eyes. Wrensong understood, and she even felt bad for the WindClan tom. "When Tigerheart would tell me about you he didn't say anything bad," Wrensong mewed, "He only said that you were the siblings of the Three and you wanted to prove to your father that you were special, too."

A spark of hostility shone in Breezepelt's amber eyes. "I _am _special!" He spat, his fur bristling dangerously. "I don't have to have strange powers to be loved! I have kits who love me... and... and I... I had a mate who cared about me..." His voice was choked with emotion, and he let out a small sob. "I'm sorry for snapping at you. You seem nice, but my mate was just attacked by a dog today... she died... and I don't know what to do anymore. My kit, Galekit, was recently stolen, and I feel so bad. They don't have a mother anymore, and I'm a lame excuse for a father. I came here to get away from everyone; I'm not even there when my kits need me the most."

A pang of sadness stabbed Wrensong's heart. This poor tom... having a crazy mother, a father who ignores him, and a dead mate... no wonder he had succumbed to the temptations of the Dark Forest in the first place; there, cats had cared about him. Or pretended too, at least. "I'm so sorry," She murmured, trying to be comforting. "Your mate is watching you from StarClan now, but your kits need you the most. Instead of moping around, be the father you never had to your kits. Be there for them. They need you; especially with the recent trauma they have just been through."

Breezepelt smiled sadly at Wrensong. "Thanks," He mewed. "For talking some sense into me. You're right; I need to be the father I never had. I want them to have one parent that cares about them; not like me, who had one overly caring mother, and one uncaring father. I will go to my kits now. See you around."

"See you," Wrensong mewed, watching the tom leave. She felt like she had done a good deed.

* * *

When she returned to camp, it was dawn. Purple and cream shards of light were streaked across the sky, and pink clouds floated above her. Taking a deep breath, she entered ShadowClan camp, knowing that cats would be awake and ready for the dawn patrol. She herself was taking the dawn patrol, and she knew it was wrong to be scared of her own Clanmates.

All eyes were on her as she entered camp. Her father was awake and naming patrols, and his eyes immediately locked on hers. When she got close enough, he asked, "Where were you? By the way, you're on the dawn patrol with Falconwing and I. We're going to RiverClan."

"I just needed some space," admitted Wrensong. "I haven't been awake the past few days, and right now I'm getting hostile looks. I don't understand." Glancing around, she could see the fiercest ShadowClan warriors staring at her as though she was a mutant.

Tigerheart simply shrugged and gave her an encouraging smile. "That's what's so messed up about ShadowClan. They didn't mind the fact that you were a rogue; but now you're discovered to be halfClan and they hate you." He sighed. "It's my fault; I'm sorry. I know that you forgave me and all, but I ruined your life."

Wrensong flicked her tail, not pressing the matter. "Maybe, but without your and Dovewing's affair I wouldn't be alive. So that's a positive in this whole mess."

Tigerheart looked doubtful; but his eyes still shone with guilt. "I suppose," He muttered, glancing up. "Oh, here comes Falconwing. Let's hurry up this patrol." The dark tabby stood up and nodded to Falconwing, who was approaching the two. Falconwing's eyes had a distant glow to them.

"Hello," He mewed curtly, ignoring Wrensong altogether. She and her former mentor used to be best friends, what had happened? Falconwing shifted his paws; he obviously felt uncomfortable. "I heard we're going to RiverClan. I'm ready to leave now." And with that, the ShadowClan warrior bounded into the forest without permission from Tigerheart.

Tigerheart looked furious. "I know Falconwing," He growled, his amber eyes narrowed. "And I know that he never acts like that; like he's more superior than us. I'll have to put him in his place." Snarling, Tigerheart dashed into the forest after Wrensong's former mentor.

Not knowing what to do, Wrensong ran after the two toms, hoping that Falconwing was just grumpy from a bad dream or something. Her old mentor would've been ecstatic to go on patrol with Wrensong when she was a warrior; how could her recently found out parentage change that relationship so drastically?

She ran until Tigerheart halted in front of her; the patrol had arrived at the RiverClan border. Her father and Falconwing were already arguing when Wrensong arrived.

"What was that all about?" Her father snarled. "She has already had a tough enough time adjusting now that news of her birth came out; and her old mentor treating her harshly is going to make her feel worse! What do you think you're playing at? Don't ever scorn me or my daughter!"

"She's halfClan!" Falconwing spat. "How am I supposed to trust her when the majority of her family lives in ThunderClan? How am I supposed to trust _you_ when your mate and kits live there, huh? And I know for a fact that most cats in ShadowClan feel the same way that I do!"

"How dare you?" Tigerheart's voice was nothing more than a whisper now; yet it carried a ferocious deadliness that would scare Wrensong if it was ever directed at her. "You heard her announcement at the Gathering. You saw her tear up her brother. My daughter and I are some of the most loyal cats in ShadowClan; and I can hardly say the same for you! Did you know that your father was a former rogue? Or that your mother's mother was a rogue as well? Does that make you disloyal?"

"Being a rogue and halfClan is different!" growled Falconwing. "A rogue doesn't have any alliances. But a halfClan cat would be tempted to join the Clan their other parent is apart of. I know I would."

Wrensong couldn't take it anymore. Usually she was laid-back, but she felt so betrayed that she had to speak up. "Then you aren't loyal!" She snarled to her former mentor. "You know nothing about me! I've only met my mother when I encountered her at the border patrol; and I've only met my siblings the same amount of times I've met my mother. Your quickness to doubt me just shows how crappy of a warrior you are! I thought we were friends; but I don't want to be friendly with a cat that's so quick to judge me."

"You trusted her when you knew nothing about her," Tigerheart backed up his daughter, "But now you know her past and you're so quick to make judgements. I have lost all of my respect for you, Falconwing. StarClan will judge you in the end; get out of my sight. I don't want you hurting my daughter anymore for something that was not her fault."

"Fine!" yowled Falconwing, his eyes flaring, "I'll leave. But I will leave as a warrior who is untrusting of his leader and Clanmates." With his tail up, he stalked away from the dawn patrol. Wrensong felt a pang of sadness pierce her heart; she didn't understand why the cat who had once been her closest friend didn't trust her anymore. How could her birth change that?

Tigerheart's eyes were still blazing balls of amber fire. His fur was bristled around his neck and he looked livid. "There are some cats you simply can't trust," He snarled, turning his head away from the place Falconwing had exited. "And Falconwing is an example. Don't let him get to you; there are plenty of cats that trust you and respect you. He's insecure because he comes from a line of rogues." His fur started to calm down, and his eyes lost the fire. "Alright, let's continue this patrol." Right as they reached the Twoleg bridge that divided RiverClan from ShadowClan, they ran into a RiverClan patrol. Wrensong recognized Streampaw, who looked extremely nervous and apprehensive. So did the other two cats she was with; Grasspelt, her mentor and a cat named Pebblefoot.

"We bring news," Grasspelt mewed, sadness and loss in his eyes. "M-Mistystar and Reedwhisker were attacked by foxes while assessing one of our apprentices. StarClan sent Willowshine a sign and now we are led by a tom named Freezestar; previously Freeze."

Tigerheart and Wrensong glanced at each other; it was obvious Grasspelt was lying. Streampaw was too frightened looking and Pebblefoot looked nervous. It didn't add up. Finally, Tigerheart spoke up. "I'm sorry? StarClan sent you a sign saying that a _rogue_ was the rightful leader of your Clan? That doesn't make sense."

Grasspelt was caught in the lie; and he knew it. He didn't know how to respond with the question. "Well, uh, um... it happened. So... tell your Clan. Freezestar wants the news spread of his leadership so it doesn't come as a surprise." With that, the RiverClan dipped their heads and exited.

"Hey, Streampaw," called Wrensong, when the other RiverClan cats were out of sight. Streampaw turned around, looking scared out of her mind. She laughed nervously; she didn't seem herself. Suddenly, Wrensong remembered that Mistystar was her mother and Reedwhisker was her brother, and she felt sorry for the apprentice.

"O-oh, h-hey, Wrensong," stuttered Streampaw, casting glances back to her territory every so often. "M-my name isn't Streampaw anymore, it's uh, Streamfrost. F-Freezestar wanted all apprentices to be made warriors. Anyway, I-I have to g-go, my p-patrol's waiting for me. S-see you around, W-Wrensong." After saying this, Streamfrost dashed away as fast as she possibly did. Wrensong immediately felt strange; the feeling that something was wrong.

Tigerheart echoed her thoughts. "Something's up," He growled before turning away and padding back to camp.

* * *

**AN: Thanks for the reviews, they made me smile :) Keep on reviewing though, please, it's my motivation ! x**


	11. N i n e

**The Legacy of the Three: Chapter Nine**

_Galekit ._

This time, the whispers were different. As a light brown tabby she-cat was carried into camp, motionless; they were sad and scared. They were like the whispers about Onestar, but these contained different words. A different cat had died today, the same cause that Onestar did, except there was a difference; this cat only had one life. Onestar had nine.

"She was too young to die."

"What will happen with the kits?"

"They won't have a mother."

Galekit had returned yesterday; and he was being tended for shock in Kestrelflight's den when he heard the whispers. Immediately, his ears pricked; who had died this time? What kits were they talking about? There was only one queen in the camp right now, and... his stomach tightened; his mouth went dry. Heathertail.

The gray tabby bounded out of the medicine cat den, ignoring Whiskerfur's calls for him to stop. He dashed so fast that he felt like he was in slow motion. Everything was speeding around him, but he himself was in slow motion. He could see every detail of every cat's face, every grain of sand on the ground. Galekit didn't want to be slowed down; he wanted to reach his mother as fast as possible. She would be okay, today was her first day out of the camp since her kitting. She would be fine, it was just an accident. She wasn't actually dead, right?

As he stopped running, everything returned to normal speed. When cats noticed him, they shielded him from the sight. "You don't need to see this," A cat named Emberfoot told Galekit softly. "Go back to your den with your sister and go to sleep. You shouldn't see this." For the first time, he ignored a warrior and pushed forward. Cats still tried to block him; but he was smaller than them and able to weave in and out of their legs and tails. As he came closer to the body, Galekit smelled a familiar scent; his mother's scent. He had grown up with that scent, but now it had a sick scent that came along with this. Galekit had smelled this when Onestar had come into camp and identified it as blood.

When he reached the light brown tabby she-cat's body, he saw a thin, black cat covering it. His father. Breezepelt was wailing, whispering quietly into Heathertail's ear. Galekit heard these whispers; they were pleading and sad. He didn't like these whispers, either. Galekit wanted to leave, but he couldn't. He wanted to say hello to his mother and tell her she would be alright. Suddenly, Galekit whipped his head around. Where was Kestrelflight and Whiskerfur? Why weren't they coming to help his mother? She could still be saved.

Breezepelt turned around and caught sight of his kit. His eyes narrowed to slits, and he barked harsh words at Galekit. They were so unlike the whispers Galekit had heard his father whispering to Heathertail. They contained words like, "Go away," "Get out," "Leave, kit!" Galekit backed away, scared; but bumped into legs. He was trapped. Hot, warm tears flooded down his face. The harsh words kept coming, and Galekit couldn't stop them. So he did the only thing he could to block them out: curl up in a ball and cover his ears with his paws.

He could only cover his ears so much. From behind him, he heard cats hiss at his father. He caught phrases like, "How dare you?" and, "That's his mother!" Galekit kept his paws over his ears; other cats were saying harsh words, too, and he didn't want to hear them. He just wanted to get out of this nightmare and talk to his mother again.

Finally, he curled out of his ball. He felt cats move and leave around him, and he decided it was safe to open his eyes again. Breezepelt was gone, but his mother's still body remained in the clearing. Getting on his paws, he approached it; admiring how the moonlight made her fur look silver. Sitting next to her, he mewed; "Hi, mother," He saw the blood on her pelt and began to clean it off. Perhaps she was tired and sleepy. Galekit knew she would appreciate him cleaning her pelt when she awoke in the morning. "I heard you got attacked by a dog today, and you're all bloody, but I hope you'll like it when you wake up and your pelt is clean. Breezepelt was being really mean to me today, and I don't know why. I don't know why you're sleeping out here, either. Do you not want to sleep with Fogkit and I? Maybe you're getting us ready for becoming apprentices. That's only in a few days. Crowfeather told me. You'll be okay to come to my ceremony, right? You won't feel sleepy or go hunting again. I hope you'll groom my fur. I know most kits don't like that, but my fur looks shiny when you do that and I like it. I like my fur looking nice. I hope you like your fur looking nice, too, because I cleaned all of the blood off for you, and - "

"Galekit," A voice mewed from behind him. Galekit turned and saw Crowfeather watching the kit; sadness brimming in the deputy's eyes. "Galekit, your mother isn't going to wake up."

Galekit shook his head. "No, Crowfeather, she is. She just got hurt by a dog and is sleeping now. Look, her eyes are closed. She'll wake up in the morning."

Crowfeather closed his eyes and sighed. "Galekit, your mother is dead."

"Dead?" Galekit echoed, turning back to his mother. He pressed against her and did not feel her breathing like she normally did when he was sleeping beside her. He opened one of her beautiful blue eyes and saw that it had a glassy quality to it. The blood had stopped flowing from her wounds, and she smelled sickly. The warmth had left her body. He turned back to Crowfeather and look up at him with wide, sad eyes. "Why?" He asked.

The dark gray tom sat next to Galekit and brushed his tail over Galekit's shoulder. "There are some wounds that not even StarClan can heal. There is a loose dog that we didn't know about, and when your mother killed a rabbit, it smelled the blood. It attacked her suddenly, and she couldn't defend herself against the huge beast. She passed away." Crowfeather turned Galekit's head towards the stars. "But you see that one star? Right there, shining brighter than the rest? She's right there in StarClan, watching over us now. She may be dead, but she's always with me."

Galekit took a moment to absorb this information. Her mother was attacked by a dog and StarClan couldn't heal the wounds, he assumed they were too severe. He glanced down at her mother's body. It was still there and not in the sky. Confused, he asked Crowfeather, "But her body's still here, not in StarClan."

His grandfather smiled sadly at him. "Her spirit is," He murmured. "Her spirit is always with you in your heart. She may even visit you in your dreams. I know that your mother always cared for you and always will, and she would have been very upset to leave her kits so early. However the whole Clan is your family. They will love you and care for you like your mother would if she was here."

Galekit nodded, trying to understand what his grandfather was saying. "Where is my father?" He asked. "He was yelling at me earlier and I don't understand why. I don't want him to be mad at me."

Crowfeather sighed. "Sometimes love blinds us and causes us to make bad decisions," He meowed carefully. "Your father was greatly affected by Heathertail's death. He has loved that she-cat since they were kits, and he probably thinks he wouldn't be able to live without her. I think he was yelling at you because he can't blame anyone, so he blamed the first cat that approached him. That was you. He isn't mad at you, he just feels like he lost everything."

"But he still has Fogkit and I," Galekit mewed, confused. "He hasn't lost everything."

"Again, he is blinded by his loss of his mate," Crowfeather explained. "He hasn't realized that he still has kits who will love him unconditionally. He will come to that realization and feel sorry."

Galekit yawned; it was moonhigh, and he was exhausted. Crowfeather nudged him towards the nursery, but Galekit wouldn't budge. "No. I'm going to sleep next to my mother. I'm spending one last night with her." Crowfeather's eyes filled with sadness and a knowing that Galekit wouldn't budge. "Alright," He finally said, defeated. "By the way, there's a surprise for you tomorrow. Good night, Galekit; sweet dreams." Crowfeather retired to where the senior warriors slept.

Usually, Galekit would have been up all night thinking about the surprise, but this night was dedicated to his mother. He curled up next to her, aware of the absence of her warmness, but slept next to regardless. He fell asleep immediately.

* * *

When Galekit awoke, it was sunhigh. He noticed that his mother was no longer next to him; he assumed that she had been buried that morning. He still couldn't quite fathom the idea of his mother being gone. The wave of sadness hadn't gotten to him yet; he was still trying to accept that she was gone.

He felt a paw nudge him and turned around to see Fogkit smiling at him. Her blue eyes, the color of his mother's, were bright and happy. "Guess what!" She whispered excitedly. "Swallowtail's just told me that we're going to be made apprentices! Isn't that exciting? I can't wait!"

All thoughts of his mother's death had disappeared. Galekit bounced up and down with his sister; the two were both squealing in excitement and happiness. So this was the surprise Crowfeather was talking about! Galekit had forgotten about his recently promised apprentice's ceremony due to his mother's death, but now he was so happy that he would be made an apprentice. He wondered who his mentor would be.

"All cats join under the Bigrock for a Clan meeting!" Onestar's frail voice rasped over the camp. However, most of the warriors were already gathered around the Bigrock, anxious for the meeting to start. They knew that these kits were Heathertail's, and they wanted to see how strong they really were. Galekit spotted his father's black pelt among the sea of cats.

Fogkit and Galekit hopped to the center. Feeling all eyes on him, Galekit self-consciously groomed his pelt. Fogkit gave him a sideways glance and hissed, "What are you doing?"

"Grooming myself," Galekit replied. "It's how mother would want me to look." Fogkit hastily began to groom herself as well.

"Fogkit and Galekit," Onestar began once all of the WindClan cats assembled. "You both have reached the age of six moons, and it is time for you to be apprenticed." His eyes settled on Fogkit. "Fogkit, from this day on, until you receive your warrior name, you will be known as Fogpaw. Your mentor will be Sedgewhisker. I hope Sedgewhisker will pass down all she knows on to you." Onestar's amber gaze turned to Sedgewhisker. "Sedgewhisker, you are ready to take on an apprentice. You had received excellent training from Dewspots, and you have shown yourself to be courageous and intelligent. You will be the mentor of Fogpaw, and I expect you to pass on all you know to Fogpaw." Fogpaw and Sedgewhisker touched noses and retreated to the side of the crowd._  
_

Onestar's amber eyes bore into Galekit's. "Galekit, from this day on, until you receive your warrior name, you will be known as Galepaw. Your mentor will be Weaselfur. I hope Weaselfur will pass down all she knows on to you." The WindClan leader nodded to Galepaw's new mentor. "Weaselfur, you are ready to take on an apprentice. You had received outstanding training from Webfoot, and you have shown yourself to be brave and loyal. You will be the mentor of Galepaw, and I expect you to pass on all you know to him." Galepaw approached his new mentor and touched noses with the ginger tom. They sat down next to Fogpaw and Sedgewhisker on the other side of the clearing.

"Fogpaw! Galepaw! Fogpaw! Galepaw!" WindClan chanted, crowding around Galepaw and Fogpaw and mewing their congratulations. When Breezepelt congratulated Galepaw, Galepaw felt his stomach tighten. Breezepelt's amber eyes were cautious yet apologetic. "I'm sorry," He muttered to his kit. "I was hard on you. I was just upset about Heathertail's death, and I took it out on you. I'm sorry."

"It's okay," Galepaw mewed, resting his muzzle on his father's shoulder. Quoting Crowfeather, he mewed, "I understand. But she is in StarClan now, watching us from the stars."

Breezepelt chuckled and dipped his head. "Go to your mentor, now. I'm sure he's anxious to show you the territory." Galepaw nodded and bounced over to his mentor, Weaselfur, who was looking at him with amused eyes. "Hello," Weaselfur mewed cheerfully. "Fogpaw and Sedgewhisker are on elder duty today, but lucky for you, we get to tour the territory."

"Great!" mewed Galepaw, hardly able to contain his excitement. "Where will we be going first?"

"Hmm," Weaselfur pondered this for a moment. "I think we'll be going to RiverClan. It's farther away, so we may be able to get a hunting lesson in. Let's go!" The ginger warrior bounded away, and Galepaw followed closely behind. Again, Galepaw felt the same, strange sensation of slow motion as he ran; but everything speeding around him as he ran in slow motion. He passed Weaselfur easily, who slowly looked at him with wide, surprised eyes. His mentor was calling something, but Galepaw couldn't hear because it was in slow motion. Galepaw abruptly stopped and looked back. Weaselfur was so far behind him that Galepaw could only make out a red dot coming his way.

Finally, when Weaselfur reached him, his mentor looked absolutely appalled. "Oh my StarClan!" He breathed, out of breath. "You are so fast! You're like a blur! You're faster than lightning, it's incredible! Maybe it's Windstar's blood in you; I don't know, but you're _fast_."

Galepaw was confused. "But... when I run, I run in slow motion. Everything around me like trees and grass is speeding by, but I only see me running and cats in slow motion. I thought that was normal, or I was just really slow."

Weaselfur surveyed his apprentice, his eyes unknowing. "That's strange," He admitted. "When I run, I run normally. Everything's normal. Maybe you're just an incredibly gifted cat; I don't know." The ginger warrior pointed with his tail to a maze of rivers and forest beyond them. "That's RiverClan territory," He mewed. "We're right by the border, so we should be able to smell them soon. I'd advise you to cover their nose; it's not a pleasant smell."

Galepaw tried his hardest to control his running the rest of the way through. He didn't want to be that apprentice who tried to one-up his mentor; he just wanted to be a regular apprentice. But he thought that his speed was pretty cool. Eventually, a strong stench hit his nose as the moorland grass began to thin and be replaced by shorter grass that was moist and cooler. "Yuck," He scrunched up his nose, "What's that smell?"

Weaselfur laughed as he padded up to a stream. "That, my apprentice, is the smell of RiverClan," Weaselfur mewed, making a scent-marking. "This stream is the border. You can't cross the border, obviously. Anyway, I'm sure you've heard plenty of stories about RiverClan. They're led by a nice leader named Mistystar. Their deputy is her son, Reedwhisker. He's a bit uptight, but a good leader I suppose. They hunt fish mainly, but in leaf-bare they hunt forest prey because the streams and rivers are frozen. Mistystar..."

"... isn't the leader anymore," A patrol of RiverClan cats approached the stream. A faded gray tom with icy blue eyes glared at Galepaw. "I am. Mistystar and Reedwhisker are dead. My name is Freezestar, and I am the new leader of RiverClan."

But Galepaw knew those icy-blue eyes and he knew that faded gray pelt. That wasn't Freezestar.

It was Alpine.

* * *

**AN: Galepaw's such a scatterbrain. He's so naive and adorable, I just want to hug him x) My favorite scene in the book so far has to be the beginning of the chapter with Crowfeather and Galekit. It's just so adorable and sad and brings out the softie inside of Crowfeather. x)**

**Review?**


	12. T e n

**The Legacy of the Three: Chapter Ten**

_Wrensong ._

Wrensong followed Tigerheart into Rowanstar's den as they returned from the dawn patrol. By now, the sun was a shining disc in the sky and a cool breeze was blowing over the camp. Wrensong noticed the scattered leaves lying around camp and knew that leaf-fall was coming.

"Tigerheart, Wrensong," Rowanstar greeted them as they entered the ShadowClan leader's den. He looked a bit tired, but his green eyes shone with a wisdom and strength that surprised Wrensong. Maybe he looked wiser because he had just been speaking with StarClan in his dreams. "Where is Falconwing?"

Tigerheart's amber eyes narrowed, and the fur along his neck began to bristle. "Falconwing was insulting Wrensong and saying how she wasn't loyal," He spat. "Apparently he and another group of cats believe that she will be tempted to join ThunderClan, even though she has already made a speech in front of all Clans saying how she won't hesitate to rip out her sibling's fur if needed." He continued his rant. "I didn't say anything when she was ripping apart Flamepaw because of this! I didn't want cats to think she was disloyal! And she's not, and look what happened."

Wrensong glanced at her leader and saw that a fire had began to burn in his green eyes. Standing up, he growled softly, "No warrior should ever doubt my deputy or my kin. As you said at the Gathering, Wrensong, you will protect your Clan even if that means hurting your siblings in ThunderClan. Tawnypelt had to face Bramblestar's Clan many times over, yet cats still admired her." He paused, looking at Tigerheart. "I will have a talk with these warriors about your and Wrensong's loyalty. My Clan will not be torn apart by this mess. Is there anything else you need to report?"

"Yes," Tigerheart answered, looking a bit calmer. "Mistystar and Reedwhisker apparently died in a fox attack. A rogue, Freeze, is the new leader of their Clan. According to the RiverClan cats, Willowshine was sent a sign from StarClan that proclaimed Freeze as leader. However, I don't believe it. Mistystar's daughter Streamfrost told us that Freezestar demanded that every apprentice be made a warrior. It seems fishy to me." Wrensong stifled a laugh at her father's unintentional 'fish' pun.

Rowanstar looked a bit worried. "That sounds suspicious," He admitted. "I don't want to be involved in other Clan life, so Tigerheart, tell the Clan to find out what they can when they go over to RiverClan. I, personally will question this so-called 'Freezestar' at the next Gathering. Thank you for telling me; I will go talk to Falconwing now."

Tigerheart glanced at his daughter as Rowanstar exited. "You're on a moonhigh hunting patrol," He rumbled, "With Hawkpaw and Smokefoot. You should get your rest while the warrior's den is empty. I don't want anymore cats bothering you today." Her father sighed sadly and exited the den, his tail drooping.

Wrensong decided to listen to her father's advice and curled up in the warrior's den for a few moments of rest.

* * *

_The striped brown she-cat awoke in a strange clearing. It was nighttime and the stars shone above; the moon cast a beautiful silvery light on the clearing. The strange thing was that everything in the clearing seemed to have a starry tint; almost if the clearing was made out of starlight itself. Wrensong got on her paws and looked around, but didn't see any cats. Where was she? And why was she here?_

_"Wrensong," A voice behind her mewed. Wrensong turned around, blinking; to see a bright-blue eyed ginger tom talking to her. The tom had majestic looking darker ginger tabby markings swirling around his pelt, and his eyes were the precise color of Flamepaw's. They were the color of the sky on a perfect summer's day. "Welcome."_

_"I - I'm sorry," Wrensong mewed, hypnotized by the beautiful starry glow surrounding the mysterious tom, "But I don't know who you are, and where I am." Glancing around the place; she discovered that the clearing was surrounded by four different environments. To the north was the pine forest. To the south was winding rivers and few trees. As you looked west, there was a dense forest. And finally, to the east, there were rolling moors. It was almost like the Clans, yet there was no lake in the middle. Just a clearing._

_"I am your kin," The tom said softly, gazing at her with blue eyes. "I'm sure you've heard plenty of stories about me from your father. Your brother has the same name as me, and also the same looks. It's quite strange, but I suppose that's how things work out." He paused for a moment to see if Wrensong could recognize him. And she did; this was Flametail, her father's brother that drowned in the ice!_

_Wrensong gasped internally as she came to this realization. "I know who you are," She mewed in an awed whisper. "You're Flametail. So if you're Flametail, then I must be in StarClan. That's what I thought when I saw how everything was outlined by stars." _

_Flametail nodded, grateful that Wrensong recognized him. "You always were the most intelligent out of my father's litter," He murmured, his tail flicking. "Come on. I need you to meet some cats. It's really important." Without waiting for an answer, Flametail disappeared into the pine forest. Wrensong dashed after him, and as soon as she entered the forest, she was immediately reminded of ShadowClan's forest. However, the pines here were healthier; the forest was teeming with prey and she could feel her paws itching to catch some of it. Flametail continued to lead her through the dense pine forest until they reached a small clearing like the one they were previously in. Except, this clearing had quite a few cats in it. Flametail entered the clearing, followed by Wrensong. "This is Wrensong," He mewed excitedly, pointing his tail towards the brown striped she-cat. "This is our future."_

_To her surprise, the StarClan cats dipped their heads to Wrensong. She was appalled, and found herself taking a step back. But Flametail invited her forwards, so she followed. She counted five other cats including Flametail in the clearing, and didn't recognize a single one save Flametail. A tortoiseshell with green eyes stepped forward. Wrensong stifled a gasp; the tortoiseshell had the same shade green eyes that Wrensong had. "We finally meet," She meowed. "My name is Tawnypelt. I died shortly after your birth, so you probably don't recognize me." A cream she-cat dipped her head and padded next to Tawnypelt. "And I am Dawnpelt," The cream she-cat murmured. A huge white tom with jet-black tom sat next to Flametail, and next to him was a bright ginger tom with emerald eyes. He dipped his head to Wrensong and murmured his introduction. "I'm Firestar," He meowed. "I am no ShadowClan cat, but this new prophecy is a follow-up of mine so I must be present." He glanced beside him to the huge white tom. "And this is Blackstar."_

_Wrensong dipped her heads respectfully to each of the cats, with more warmness towards Flametail, Dawnpelt and Tawnypelt. For a few moments, it was silent, and Wrensong couldn't help but speak up. "I'm sorry," She meowed. "But I'm confused on why I'm here, and what prophecy Firestar was talking about. StarClan cats don't speak to average warriors like me."_

_"But you're not an average warrior," Flametail's eyes twinkled with knowledge. "You know that your mother was one of the Three, correct? And you also know about the prophecy that surrounded her?"_

_Wrensong nodded, not really seeing where this was headed. Of course she knew about that prophecy; every Clan cat knew, and Tigerheart had made sure that Wrensong knew the story. Back then, she thought it was because she was a rogue and Tigerheart was teaching Wrensong Clan ways, but now she knew the real reason: Tigerheart was hinting that Dovewing was her mother._

_"When a cat has a power, if they mate with a cat who doesn't have a power, only a fraction of the kits in the litter will inherit a special ability," explained Firestar. "When Dovewing mated with your father, a special power was only transferred to one of her kits."_

_Wrensong absorbed this information; and suddenly, it all made sense. "So, when Dovewing had kits, only one had a power, right?" The gathered cats nodded. "Then that means that a kit in Dovewing's litter has powers. It's either Flamepaw or Featherpaw, then."_

_Blackstar shook his head. "No," He growled. "Why would we be talking to you if your brother or sister had a power? ThunderClan cats would be talking to them; ShadowClan cats wouldn't care. Think, Wrensong, you're one of ShadowClan's smartest warriors; you're obviously the cat with the power. That's why we called you here."_

_Wrensong knew that would be the most obvious answer, but there was one problem: she didn't have any powers. She didn't understand why StarClan cats would waste their time called her here when they knew she possessed no special abilities. "But, I don't have any special powers," She mewed. "I can't run faster, I can't climb trees like a squirrel, I can't fly, I'm not invincible, I don't have extended senses..."_

_"You're right," Blackstar rumbled. "You don't. But physical powers don't equal mental powers. Jayfeather can read other cats minds and feelings, for example." _

_"So, you're saying I have a mental power?" Wrensong questioned. "Like what? Can I read other cats' minds, too?"_

_"You're close," admitted Tawnypelt. "But StarClan cannot spoon-feed you answers; we have given you enough, and you would be dependent on us. Concentrate on what we've told you and we will tell you the next step. Now, you must discover your power! The Clans are at stake!"_

_A wave of blackness crashed over Wrensong as she was plummeted back into reality._

* * *

She was still half-asleep, yet she was not dreaming. She only saw the darkness that she usually sees every dreamless night; the darkness that is your eyelids. So, when Wrensong felt a paw prodding her, she knew that she had to get up. Yawning, she stretched and awoke; her eyes settling on Smokefoot, the tom who woke her up. His wide green eyes bore into hers. "Oh, uh, sorry," He mewed, seeing the impatience in Wrensong's gaze, "But we have to get up. We're due for the moonhigh patrol with Hawkpaw."

Wrensong hadn't remembered the hunting patrol until now. Her stomach tightened as she thought about Hawkpaw; she didn't know how he thought about her being halfClan. They were friends, so she hoped he wouldn't judge her. Yet, Falconwing and Wrensong were friends and look what happened. "Right," Wrensong mewed, shaking off the last bit of her tiredness, "Sorry, forgot."

"S'alright," Smokefoot muttered, and the two exited the warrior's den and trotted out of the camp. Hawkpaw was waiting them outside of the entrance; his eyes were guarded, but he gave Wrensong a friendly nod. She felt her spirits lifted, she was grateful that she had one cat besides her father that supported her.

"We're going by the lake shore, by ThunderClan," Smokefoot growled with a sideways glance to Wrensong. Wrensong was a bit offended by this, and she chose to speak up despite her easygoing demeanor.

"Just because I'm halfClan doesn't mean I want to be apart of ThunderClan, you know," She mewed angrily. "My birth has nothing to do with my loyalties; I've said this before, and I'll say it until my Clan actually trusts me."

Wrensong felt satisfied when she saw Smokefoot blush; his eyes became nervous. "I know, sorry," He muttered. "It's just so unreal. First a rogue, and now halfClan; I don't know." Wrensong wisely chose to keep her mouth shut for the rest of the journey to the lakeshore.

"I'll hunt over here," Smokefoot mewed, pointing his tail by the ThunderClan border. "Hawkpaw, hunt deeper in by the Twoleg House. Wrensong, you can hunt by the shore." Wrensong saw Hawkpaw mouth, 'I'm sorry,' and pointed to Smokefoot; Wrensong just shrugged and headed towards the shore.

A mouse scent hit her nose as the shore came into sight. Crouching low, she moved forward silently, trying to locate the mouse. It was harder in the nighttime, but soon enough she saw a shape moving inbetween the bushes. When she was close enough, she pounced and easily killed the mouse. She buried it next to the tree and continued on.

As she neared the shore, a familiar scent hit her nose. Wrensong couldn't place the scent, but the cat she saw standing in front of her was unmistakable. His amber eyes glittered at her as she approached. "What are you doing here?" She hissed at Breezepelt. "This is ShadowClan territory, not the Cross!"

Breezepelt looked calm and smiled at the ShadowClan warrior coolly. "I'm here to see you, of course," He mewed, unconcerned. "Plus, I'm two tail-lengths from the shore. I can go wherever I want at this length."

"Why did you come to see me?" Wrensong asked, genuinely confused. She didn't think the WindClan warrior even liked her that much; he seemed quite annoyed with her in the Cross. "I hardly even know you."

"Precisely," Breezepelt replied. "I don't know you at all, and you seem like such an intriguing cat." The smooth, silky way he said this gave Wrensong the chills.

Wrensong glanced back to her territory. "Look, I can't do this right now," She meowed. Breezepelt's amber gaze remained on her, and it made Wrensong feel strange. "My Clan doesn't trust me. Plus, you have kits. You can't go around meeting she-cats from other Clans when you have kits."

"I can do whatever I want," Breezepelt growled. "Meet me at the Cross. Tomorrow night at sunset. I want to ask you something really important, and obviously I can't do it here. Go back to doing whatever you're doing, I'll see you tomorrow." Without waiting for an answer, Breezepelt dashed back to ThunderClan territory.

_What in StarClan was that about? _Wrensong thought as she padded away from the shore. _What does he want to ask me? And why is he so interested in me? Is it some kind of joke; or does he want to be friends?_

As she was opening her senses to hunt for another mouse, Wrensong heard a shriek coming from the forest. It sounded like Smokefoot! Widening her eyes, Wrensong ran as fast as she could to the source of the noise. Her heart dropped when she arrived at the ThunderClan border; where the noise was coming from.

Smokefoot was being attacked by three ThunderClan cats; Bumblestripe, Moleclaw, and... her stomach tightened. Flamepaw. Immediately, Wrensong leaped into the fray, lashing out at Moleclaw and raking her claws down Bumblestripe's pelt. He locked eyes with Wrensong and hissed, "You!"

Wrensong heard another yowl and saw Hawkpaw launching himself into the fight, sparring with Moleclaw. Wrensong knew he'd be okay because he was an outstanding fighter; but she was nervous about Smokefoot. Thankfully, he was fighting Flamepaw, who still looked injured. Wrensong turned back to Bumblestripe and snarled at him; the two were squaring off. "Remember me?" She growled.

"Let's see how loyal you are, halfClan piece of foxdung!" snarled Bumblestripe, launching himself at Wrensong. The tom was much bigger and stronger than Wrensong, so Wrensong decided to use her speed and smaller size to her advantage. She dodged Bumblestripe's charge and hopped onto his back; raking her claws down his spine and causing him to shriek. Suddenly, he fell on top of her, and Wrensong was pinned. _Foxdung!_ Thinking quickly, she poked one of her claws into Bumblestripe's back. Immediately, he got up, squealing like a small kit. Wrensong took her chance and slammed him against a pine tree, aiming her claws at his stomach. Finally, her claws caught skin as she raked her claws down his stomach. Bumblestripe yowled in agony and dashed back to his border.

Looking back at the battlefield, Wrensong saw that Hawkpaw and Smokefoot were lying on the ground, twitching; but not unconscious or gravely injured. Flamepaw was the only ThunderClan cat remaining, and his eyes looked nervous yet defiant as he glared at Wrensong. "We meet again, sister!" He called. "Are you too afraid to fight me? Or will you back up what you said at the Gathering?"

Narrowing her eyes, Wrensong knew this was her chance to prove to her Clanmates that she was loyal, and she would hurt any cat that threatened ShadowClan. "I'll fight you," She snarled, unsheathing her bloody and furry claws. After a moment, she suddenly charged at Flamepaw and caught him off balance. Flamepaw wasn't a good fighter, so he easily fell under Wrensong as she tackled him and pinned him to the ground. "Give up yet?" She taunted.

"Never!" replied Flamepaw, twisting out of her pin. He tried to jump on top of her, but Wrensong was too nimble. She dodged out of the way and Flamepaw fell on the ground, the wind knocked out of him. She took this chance and clawed his back; he yowled in pain. Wrensong continued to do this until Flamepaw was begging her for mercy. "Alright, alright, stop!" He gasped. "I just got out of the medicine cat's den, I don't want to be in there again!" Wrensong let him up and he whirled around at her; still defiant. Wrensong readied herself, but Flamepaw wasn't going to fight her. She knew that; she could see it in his eyes.

"I see you back up your words, sister," He growled as he began to limp back to ThunderClan territory. "When I become a warrior, I'll crush you again! Just you wait! I'm not afraid to hurt you, either!" And then his ginger shape disappeared through the thick undergrowth. Wrensong glanced back at her injured Clanmates. They both had gotten up, but Smokefoot looked really injured. When he looked at Wrensong, his eyes shone with a new respect.

"I doubted you before," He admitted. "But not anymore. You bravely took on your brother and defended your Clan, just like you should. I now believe that you deserve your warrior name, and I'm on your side now. I'm sorry for doubting you." Wrensong could tell this hurt the ShadowClan warrior's pride, but it was something he needed to say.

"It's okay," Wrensong mewed. "What was the fight about? Were they stealing prey again?"

"No," Smokefoot growled. "Bumblestripe was talking about you, actually, and I told him to watch his words. He mewed something offensive about Rowanstar being a rogue, so I attacked Bumblestripe and they all joined in. I yelled for help, and you all came. I would've died if it weren't for you two."

Wrensong and Hawkpaw shrugged modestly. "It was nothing," Hawkpaw mewed. "But you're injured. Let's get you home; Wrensong will collect the prey later."

* * *

**AN: Wrensong's power will be revealed in the next chapter with her POV (two chapters) ~**

**PS Wrensong is such a good hunter/fighter because she worked her tail off (literally) as an apprentice because she wanted to prove to the Clan that even rogues could be warriors. Didn't really mention this before but she's not a mary sue, promise **

**Also Breezepelt was really creepy in this chapter. ik. x)**

**Review?**


	13. E l e v e n

**The Legacy of the Three: Chapter Eleven**

_Leafpaw ._

Adrenaline pumped through Leafpaw as he launched himself at the fox. As soon as his claws made contact with the fox's fur, everything slowed down. This was what happened whenever he fought something: he made time around him slow down, and he remained in normal time. So as the fox leaned down to bite him, in slow-mo; Leafpaw deflected the bite and ran his claws down the fox's pelt. He saw the fox slowly yelp and try to claw him. Leafpaw saw the move coming, deflected it, and bite down hard on the fox's neck. He kept biting down, deflecting off the fox's attempts to get him off. As Leafpaw tasted warm blood, the fox went limp and slowly began to fall. Leafpaw nimbly hopped off of it and returned time to normal.

The cats around him had their jaws open; they were astounded. No cat had ever killed a fox before. Proudly, Leafpaw smiled at them; puffing out his chest. He assumed that all other cats could slow down time, too, so why didn't they? Fighting would be so much easier for them if they did.

"That was... not to be believed," rumbled Bramblestar, his eyes wide. "You surely take after your father in fighting. I - I thought you would get killed when you launched yourself at the beast. I should've tried to help you, actually... well, anyway, Leafpaw; for that courageous act, you have earned your warrior name."

Leafpaw dipped his head to Bramblestar. "No, I didn't need any help, but thank you. I am so honored. Will my sister become a warrior, too?"

Bramblestar shook his head. "She still has one more moon of training. But after that courageous sacrifice, I have decided that you truly are ready for your warrior name. No cats are on patrol right now, so every cat will witness that ceremony. I will run ahead and tell the Clan what happened and call a meeting." He was about to dash forward, but he paused, looking back at Leafpaw. "That really was incredible, Leafpaw, I hope you know that."

"I know," Leafpaw smiled cockily, glancing around at his awed Clanmates. Not even his father could beat a fox; yet Leafpaw killed one! Birchfall, Leafpaw's mentor, approached Leafpaw. "Leafpaw, that was amazing. I'm so proud to be called your mentor; you'll grow up to be one of the best fighters in all of the Clans!"

"You really are," added the final cat on the patrol, Cherryfur. "I thought we would all die when we saw the fox! But you charged at it, not afraid of anything, and I thought you would die, too!" She sighed. "Wow. Just wow. I'm impressed."

"Thanks!" Leafpaw mewed, grateful of the older warriors' praise. He didn't understand why they were so impressed, however; if he could slow down time, so could any other warrior, so why didn't they? Or was he just smarter than all of them? The ThunderClan apprentice assumed the latter.

They had reached camp, and all of the ThunderClan cats had already circled around the Highledge. Upon sight of Leafpaw, they cheered and congratulated him, calling him things like "savior" and a "gift from StarClan". Cinderheart was almost in tears, Lionblaze was looking at Leafpaw strangely but was proud, and Honeypaw was jealous. Leafpaw smirked at her as he headed towards the center of the crowd.

After he was settled, Bramblestar began the ceremony. "I, Bramblestar, leader of ThunderClan, call upon my warrior ancestors to look down on this apprentice. He has trained hard to understand the ways of your noble code, and I commend him to you as a warrior in his turn." His gaze rested on Leafpaw; his eyes were proud but wondering. Leafpaw wondered what Bramblestar was thinking about. "Leafpaw, do you promise to uphold the warrior code and to protect and defend your Clan, even at the cost of your life?"

"I do!" declared Leafpaw, his voice loud and strong.

"Then by the powers of StarClan, I give you your warrior name," Bramblestar yowled. Leafpaw wondered what his name would be. "Leafpaw, from this moment you will be known as Leafstorm. StarClan honors your bravery and fighting skill, and we welcome you as a full warrior of ThunderClan."

Immediately, the Clan surged around Leafstorm as they chorused, "Leafstorm! Leafstorm!" Leafstorm couldn't keep track of all of the congratulations and compliments he was getting, so he just puffed out his chest and closed his eyes. He was most surprised, however, when his sister Honeypaw gave him a genuine, "Congrats, Leafstorm," Her reply was more like herself, however. "But your name's lame. I hope mine's better." She brushed her tail over Leafstorm's face and padded away.

Now, the only cats left to greet Leafstorm were Cinderheart and Lionblaze. First, Cinderheart padded up to his son, buried her nose in his shoulder, and murmured how proud she was and her congratulations. "I know, I know," Leafstorm mewed arrogantly. "I'm going to be the best warrior. I know." Finally, Cinderheart pulled away and Lionblaze stepped up to congratulate his son. "I want you and I to take a... uh, father-son walk," He mewed, glancing at Cinderheart. "Now."

Leafstorm was slightly caught off balance. "Er, okay," He meowed suspiciously, glancing at his mother who simply shrugged. "Uh, let's go, then."

The two padded out into the forest, not saying a word for a bit. Finally, when they were deep in the forest, Lionblaze began to talk to Leafstorm. "That killing of the fox was pretty incredible I heard, huh?" Leafstorm nodded, wondering where his father was going with this. "So incredible, it couldn't have been done by a normal cat." He leaned in closely to Leafstorm's, their amber eyes matching each other. "Is there anything you're not telling me? Do you have a special power you're hiding?"

Leafstorm blinked, caught off guard. "No, I'm just a really good warrior," He meowed a bit cockily, yet he was being earnest. He didn't know of any power he had.

"Cut the cockiness," ordered Lionblaze. "It was cute when you were an apprentice, but now you're a warrior. Do you want to be like Berrynose?"

"No way, he's weak," replied Leafstorm. "So what if I'm cocky? It's confidence, and at least someone in this family has it. Without confidence, you can't accomplish anything. That's why I beat the fox."

"No," growled Lionblaze. "No normal cat could ever kill a fox single-pawed." After pausing, he meowed, "Fight me."

Leafstorm narrowed his eyes at his father and unsheathed his claws. "Alright," He murmured. "If that's going to prove anything," He let the world around him slip into slow motion as he himself was still in normal-motion. Lionblaze slowly charged at him, his claws outstretched. Leafstorm knew his father was invincible, so he had to figure out a way to beat him. But if he was invincible, how could he?

As Lionblaze attempted to hook a shot at him, Leafstorm easily deflected it and jabbed for Lionblaze's stomach, but the jab made no mark. Lionblaze then tried to dive under his son, but Leafstorm deflected that, as well. The battle kept raging on until the moon was high in the sky and the two were both panting, out of breath; but uninjured. As he saw his father speaking to him, Leafstorm returned everything to normal-motion so he could listen to him.

"What power do you have?" demanded Lionblaze. "Is there something you can do that other cats can't? You're deflecting all of my moves!"

"No!" Leafstorm retorted back. "Whenever I fight, I make things in slow motion like all other cats can! It's not a power like yours."

Lionblaze stopped for a moment, observing Leafstorm. "You do have a power," He meowed quietly, almost to himself. "No other cats can slow down time at will."

Leafstorm, for once, was speechless. He had always assumed that cats could slow down or speed up time at will, and he had never considered it a power. He hardly even believed his father had a power. Leafstorm just thought he was a more gifted warrior than the rest of his Clanmates; nothing more. His father could beat warriors when he was an apprentice and so could Leafstorm; but they were father and son, so he thought the fighting skill was inherited. "They can't?" He murmured in surprise, "I - I always thought other cats had that ability, too. I never thought I was special."

"Well, you are," Lionblaze mewed, bluntly. His eyes looked heavy, as if he had just given Leafstorm a burden. "I didn't think my own kits having a power would be possible. I mean, your mother's Cinderheart, but Flamepaw and Featherpaw haven't shown any signs of an advanced skill." He began to lead Leafstorm back to camp.

"I don't think they do," admitted Leafstorm. "Maybe it's because Mom used to have a spirit, so StarClan blessed your kits with a power. Does Honeypaw have a power?" But Leafstorm already knew the answer; Honeypaw would've been bragging it all around camp if she did. Leafstorm would, too, but he had thought his power was completely normal until now.

"No," replied Lionblaze. "At least, I don't think so. You know your sister, always parading around and telling other cats of her accomplishments. Honestly, I don't know where both of your arrogance came from." He paused. "But there are more important things to discuss; like how to use your power."

"I've been using it for awhile," growled Leafstorm, annoyed, "So I think I know how to use it; thanks."

"You don't," retorted Lionblaze. "Look, I've been involved in a prophecy and had a power! I alone know the loneliness and what a burden it is to have a power. I couldn't tell anyone, and I don't expect you to tell anyone, either. Keep it our little secret. And you must only use your power for the Clans' benefit, and not yours..."

Sneakily, Leafstorm put Lionblaze's rant is fast-motion so that he wouldn't have to listen to the majority of it. It was his power, not Lionblaze's. Leafstorm was a warrior now and he could deal with his own power by himself; he didn't need his O So Knowledgable father to tell him how to live his life. When they were nearing the camp and Lionblaze's rant was starting to slow, Leafstorm set time to normal motion.

"I lost Hollyleaf because of this power. It may sound all great, but it's not, okay?" Leafstorm nodded obediently, pretending that he listened to the whole rant. "Alright, then. Remember, we keep this between the two of us." With that, Lionblaze padded into the warrior's den while Leafstorm remained by the entrance of the camp. It was now nighttime, so he had to do his vigil.

When the moon was at its highest, Leafstorm glanced up to see the stars swirling. At first, he was extremely confused, but then he realized that his mind was probably playing tricks on him. He was sleepy, so that sort of thing happened. But then, the stars started to come down straight to ThunderClan! Leafstorm backed up, unsure of what to do; he turned around to alert the camp but was stopped when a voice sounded behind him.

"Stop. We aren't here to harm you," A ginger tom with the stars in his fur mewed. His green eyes gazed upon Leafstorm fondly. "I am Firestar, former leader of ThunderClan."

Leafstorm was struck with awe. "A - are you here to welcome me as a full warrior to ThunderClan?"

"Yes, and no," Firestar mewed. "Congratulations on being a warrior, Leafstorm. But, we are here to discuss more pressing matters." A black she-cat with green eyes like Firestar's stepped forward. "You discovered you're a special cat today. But why would StarClan grant you such power without a reason? We wouldn't. So like your father, you are a part of a prophecy yourself."

Leafstorm's amber eyes grew hungry, and his stomach churned in excitement. A prophecy, him? It was unbelievable, and quite exciting. "A prophecy for me," He breathed, still unable to believe it. He flicked his eyes up to a calm looking blue-gray she-cat. "What does it mean?" He asked.

"There are three other cats in the prophecy, each from another Clan," explained the blue-gray she-cat. Her blue eyes were startling against her pelt. "So don't think you're too special. The prophecy goes, '_Only Four may save history from repeating in a crueler form_'."

"What does that mean?" asked Leafstorm, cocking his head in confusion. "And what am I supposed to do about it if I don't know what it means?"

"You must discover that yourself," growled a majestic golden tom with a strange mane around his neck. "Soon you will receive news from another source that will feel strange to the Clan. Take advantage of this and figure out what's going on. Maybe you can stop history from repeating itself."

"But what do you mean by history repeating itself?" demanded Leafstorm. "I don't know any history repeating itself, or what it means. You're not helping me at all, yet you're expecting me to do all of the work!"

"Don't be smart, Leafstorm, be thoughtful," Firestar mewed. "Think of the nursery stories you were told and about current events. Again, there are three other cats that have completely different personalities; one will be able to figure the puzzle out easily. Find these three cats and save the Clans!"

The StarClan cats returned to the sky, leaving the newest ThunderClan warrior confused and not knowing what to do.

* * *

**AN: I'm making Bumblestripe such an annoying character on accident, sorry. D: I really like him though! but in case you didn't notice I'm a hardcore DovexTiger shipper. BumblexIvy ftw~ but that wouldn't work with this story so**

**Ok, Leafstorm's power is kind of confusing. So I will explain. He can slow down time in his OWN perspective; not all together. So when he's fighting, it looks normal to everyone who's watching, but to him, it's all in slow-mo. That's why he's an incredible fighter, because he can see every move coming at him slowly & deflect them in normal speed. If that makes sense.**

**& I know Leafstorm "broke the truce" by talking, but it was technically a dream. So he broke it in his sleep (:**


	14. T w e l v e

**The Legacy of the Three: Chapter Eleven**

_Wrensong ._

The moon was high in the sky as Wrensong padded quietly towards the tunnel entrance. Quite a lot had happened that day. Hawkpaw and Mousepaw received their warrior names and were now known as Hawkstrike and Mousepelt. They were carrying out their vigil right now; Wrensong trickily had to sneak by them and knew she would be unable to do it again. She guessed she would camp out by the lake if she couldn't sneak in again.

Smokefoot was recovering. Hawkstrike got off with a few scratches, but Smokefoot had got pummeled. He had a broken leg and a slashed shoulder. He would be out for about a half moon. Wrensong felt bad for him, he had been hurt for defending her against Bumblestripe. Smokefoot had also told the Clan of Wrensong's courage, and Wrensong noticed that she had more cats that trusted her now. Falconwing even made eye contact with her once, which was a step.

She descended into the tunnels, apprehension and a bit of excitement clouding her thoughts. The thought of breaking the rules while hanging out with cats in the cross excited Wrensong; she liked to step away from the rules every once in awhile. Plus, Breezepelt was a loyal WindClan warrior. He wouldn't be hanging around with a much younger warrior unless he had a reason.

After a few more moments, Wrensong arrived in the Cross. Sure enough, Breezepelt was waiting there for her, his amber eyes softer than usual. As she approached him, he mewed a friendly, "Hello," Wrensong nodded and waited for a moment; wondering what the black tom had to tell her. After he was silent, Wrensong decided to say something.

"What did you want to ask me?" She asked, confused. Breezepelt was staring at her strangely, like he was trying to commit every inch of her to memory. After she twitched in impatience, he seemed to snap out of whatever state he was in.

"Oh, sorry," He meowed. "I was just wondering how you were, actually. I think we're similar in a lot of ways and I just want to get to know you better." His ears flattened as he saw Wrensong's angry expression. "I'm sorry if I'm being creepy, I just... I really want a friend. Heathertail and I never really got along, we were kind of, erm, forced to have kits because WindClan didn't have any and was lacking apprentices. I've never really had anyone I was close to before."

Wrensong was taken aback by the tom's sudden sweetness and caring. She had always thought Breezepelt was a selfish, arrogant tom, but she was seeing a completely different side of him. "I - I've been alright," She admitted, relaxing a bit. Wrensong realized that she never really had anyone she was particularly close to, either. "It's tough adjusting to the whole halfClan thing. Today I had to fight Flamepaw again, and I was fine with it, I guess. Some cats have started to trust me, but it's still hard." She glanced up at Breezepelt, who shrugged at her.

"I know how you feel," He murmured. "Having no one trust you. When Tigerstar came to me all of those moons ago in the Dark Forest, he promised me that cats would care for me here. He promised that the strength and skill I would learn would make my father love me. That's all I wanted, but it got to my head when I realized my father still didn't care. All Crowfeather did was sit at the ThunderClan border all day. It made me so mad, I didn't know what I had done to cause my father to hate me. And then, when the Dark Forest battle came, I was scared. They forced me to join their side, so I fought for them until some cat told me it was wrong. I then fought for the Clans and killed off Thistleclaw. Even then, my Clanmates still didn't trust me. I'm still not trusted. I think my kits will have a better life if I'm gone."

"That's not true," Wrensong mewed. "Your kits look up to you. Just think, they'll probably go along the same path as you if you're not there for them. You don't want history to repeat itself for generations, do you?" Breezepelt shook his head sadly. "Okay, then don't listen to your Clanmates. Love your kits and be the best cat you can be. Prove to them that you can be trusted."

"Thanks. You're right," Breezepelt muttered. It seemed as though admitting he was wrong hurt his pride. Suddenly, his eyes flashed and he looked up at Wrensong. "Hey, want to go on an adventure? You'll be back by dawn, I need to show you something really cool. Actually, two things. But it'll be really quick, I promise." Without waiting for a response, he brushed his tail along Wrensong's spine and bounded into a tunnel.

"Hey, wait up!" called Wrensong, following the strange tom into the tunnels. She couldn't see him because his black pelt matched perfectly with the tunnels. The ShadowClan warrior tried following his scent, but eventually she lost it in the maze of tunnels. "Breezepelt!" She called out nervously. There was no response. "Breezepelt, I'm lost!"

"I'm right here," She heard a warm voice next to her, and a pelt brush against her. "I would never leave you, Wrensong. Now come on, there's a little light up ahead. Follow that." A tail brushed Wrensong's chest as the black tom bounded towards the light, Wrensong quickly following him. Eventually, they arrived into the space with the light. Wrensong couldn't even see what the attraction was because the light was blinding her.

"Stand over here," murmured Breezepelt, leading her to a spot on the side. Wrensong opened her eyes and was astounded. There were crystals on the walls, lighting up because of a hole above. They were all different colors; white, blue, green and reed. They were beautiful. "Wow," She whispered. "This is beautiful, Breezepelt. Thank you for taking me here."

Breezepelt padded forward to a green crystal. "This is emerald," He mewed, his eyes trained on Wrensong. "The color of your eyes." Wrensong approached the green crystal and absorbed this information; she had never seen her eyes before, but knew they were green. She never thought her eyes were this beautiful, though. "My eyes are that beautiful?" She asked, looking at Breezepelt's amber ones.

"Of course," Breezepelt murmured. "Prettier, even. Now come on, I'll take you to a funner activity." As Breezepelt led the way, Wrensong couldn't help but feel confused. She didn't know if she could trust Breezepelt, he seemed to be up to something, and she didn't know what. Why was he leading her on like this? Was it some practical joke?"

Breezepelt led her to a tunnel exit. "Now, we must keep our scent hidden," He muttered. "Roll in the stream right there; it's by your border, so it won't be suspicious." They both hesitantly went into the stream and washed their scent off, then proceded to roll in ThunderClan scent by the border.

"I can't believe I just did that," growled Wrensong, smelling the stench on her. "I'm going to smell like ThunderClan for moons. My Clan will think that's suspicious."

"StarClan, have you ever snuck out of camp before?" Breezepelt rolled his eyes. "You just go back into the stream, wash off the scent, and roll in your own scent. It's not rocket science, Wrensong." He flicked his tail on her shoulder and padded towards the direction of the ThunderClan camp.

"Why are we going to ThunderClan's camp?" asked Wrensong a bit nervously. If she was found on their borders by a ThunderClan or ShadowClan cat, she would be in a huge amount of trouble. She wasn't afraid of breaking the rules, she just didn't want her newly-converted believers to think she was a traitor again.

"To mess with ThunderClan, of course," Breezepelt mewed, glancing back at Wrensong. "Have you ever done anything fun in your life? You're lucky that I came into your life and brought some fun along, if I didn't, you would probably be still asleep in ShadowClan; hah. Nights aren't for sleeping."

"What're they for, then?" inquired Wrensong, genuinely curious. This tom made himself seem like such a badass, and Wrensong was really wondering what he did that was so dangerous.

"Having as much fun as possible," Breezepelt muttered; they were getting close to ThunderClan's camp now. "All cats are asleep, so the nighttime is the time to mess around and have fun. We wouldn't be meeting in the daytime, would we? No. That'd be stupid. But meeting at night; it gives you adrenaline, you're doing something forbidden and not allowed. That's why there's so many forbidden relationships, and why the Cross was made. For the risk."

Wrensong thought for a bit; Breezepelt was making a lot of sense. Meeting during the day was plain stupidity, but at night it was risky. And this whole night, there had been adrenaline coursing through her veins as she was with Breezepelt. The fact that they were doing something forbidden made her feel... electric, almost. Rebellious. Yes, that was the word.

"Alright," Breezepelt murmured, crouching down, "We're at the camp now. It's in this weird hollow kind of thing, but we're at the top. There's a lot of stones up here, which is perfect." He nudged Wrensong, telling her to look over the edge. She did and saw Leafpaw sitting vigil. Did he just become a warrior? She wondered what his name was. "I'll throw a stone at him. You throw a stone at the entrance of the warrior's den."

"Okay," Wrensong mewed, gripping a stone in her mouth. She whipped her head and tossed it, but the stone landed to the side of the warrior's den. She glanced at Breezepelt. She didn't want to be an embarrassment. Wrensong stared at the stone and willed, "Please hop in front of the warrior's den. I want to impress Breezepelt." As if it was magic, the stone hopped to the entrance of the warrior's den and hit a cat. Wrensong gasped, taken aback; the stone had actually _listened _to her. What?

"Hey!" A cat roared from the warriors' den. It was a blue-gray she-cat with bright blue eyes; Wrensong recognized her as Bluestrike. "Who hit me with that stone?"

Breezepelt and Wrensong snickered, watching the ThunderClan camp explode. Breezepelt took the moment of confusion to his advantage and tossed the stone at Leafpaw, hitting him directly on the head.

Leafpaw snarled, unable to speak, and glared at Bluestrike.

"It wasn't me, Leafstorm!" Bluestrike growled. "Were you the one throwing stones at _me_? What, are you still sad that I don't like you? Get over it, Leafstorm!" Leafstorm shook his head defiantly, and Wrensong chuckled to herself. She knew Leafstorm didn't like Bluestrike, he loved the WindClan apprentice, Grasspaw.

Wrensong tossed another stone into the air, and willed it to go to the apprentice's den and hit Flamepaw. Immediately, the stone curved towards the apprentice's den and Wrensong heard a 'pop!' as it made contact with Flamepaw. "Ow!" Flamepaw wailed, limping into the clearing. "Who did that? It's not funny!"

"It wasn't me," growled Bluestrike, glaring at Leafstorm. "Ask your cousin."

Breezepelt and Wrensong continued to throw stones, Wrensong directing them at different warriors and apprentices. Soon, half of ThunderClan was up and yowling at each other. Then, suddenly, Squirrelflight looked up to the location where Breezepelt and Wrensong were hiding and mewed, "Wait. I think they're coming from up there."

Wrensong was about to gasp, but Breezepelt shoved his tail in her mouth. Thankfully, the ThunderClan cats didn't buy this. "There are no stones up there," Moleclaw growled. "Only from the ledge. So it has to be a cat collecting stones and tossing them at all of us."

"Let's throw one more stone and run," Breezepelt murmured in Wrensong's ear. She nodded, and Breezepelt asked, "Would you like to do the honors?" Wrensong turned to Breezepelt and asked,

"Yes. But which cat should I hit?"

Breezepelt's eyes narrowed, and he smiled. "Bramblestar. Toss it and run."

Wrensong smirked. "Alright," She mewed, gripping the stone in her mouth. She released it and told the stone to hit Bramblestar square on the muzzle. It obeyed, and Breezepelt and Wrensong dashed out immediately. But they couldn't miss the huge roar that came from the hollow as the stone made contact with Bramblestar's muzzle.

They bounded into the tunnels, laughing, and tumbled into the Cross, still laughing about what they did to ThunderClan. "That was great," Wrensong chuckled. "I've never had that much fun in my life!" It still wasn't dawn yet, it was still moonhigh; so Wrensong couldn't go back to camp anytime soon.

Breezepelt's tail brushed her shoulder. "Stay with me, and you'll have all of the fun in the world," There was a challenge in his eyes. "Are you leaving now?" He looked almost hurt and regretful. Wrensong was confused on why he was feeling these strong emotions, but she didn't ask him about it.

Wrensong shrugged. "I don't want to," She admitted. "But because no cats really trust me, I think I have to. I had an amazing night, though, and I think we should meet again."

Breezepelt looked ecstatic. "Me, too," He mewed. "How about the night after tomorrow night, same place, same time? I have guard duty tomorrow night, ever since my kit was stolen we have guard duty now."

"That stinks," mewed Wrensong, resting her muzzle on the tom's muscular shoulder. Breezepelt's tail lightly traced her spine, and Wrensong pulled away. "I'm glad I have a friend in WindClan now," She mewed. Breezepelt's eyes registered some unknown emotion, but Wrensong paid no mind to it. "I'll see you soon, Breezepelt."

As she walked away, she didn't miss the longing in the black tom's eyes.

* * *

**AN: I love Breeze, he's so misunderstood :)**

**PS still thinking about introducing new POV's, but that may be weird /: The other characters really have no importance, so I don't know. Maybe I'll put two minor characters POV's in one chapter. What do you guys think?**

**Keep reviewing? :)**


	15. T h i r t e e n

**The Legacy of the Three: Chapter Thirteen**

_Stoneheart ._

Stoneheart shouldn't be a warrior. He still had four more moons of training left, and he hardly knew anything. It wasn't fair that he and his sister were forced to become warriors by Freezestar. He didn't even bless them with StarClan. Pebblefoot had to do the StarClan ritual for them privately; the whole Clan couldn't watch. Stoneheart would've loved to be a warrior, but he simply wasn't ready. Freezestar was bound to invade another Clan soon, and Stoneheart and his sister, Streamfrost, weren't ready. They hardly had any fighting training, only a few moves, so how would they fare if they fought a Clan like ShadowClan? They'd get destroyed.

Stoneheart decided that it was his job to tell his former mentor, Icewing, that he wasn't ready. He approached the she-cat who was calmly eating a trout and mewed, "Hi, Icewing. I know I'm supposed to be really excited about being a warrior, but I don't think I'm ready. I think I'm good with hunting, but I'm a bit nervous about my fighting skills. Do you think you could train me some more so I have a chance when fighting against Clans like ShadowClan?"

Icewing looked sad, yet a glimmer of hope shone in her blue eyes. "Yes, Stoneheart. I'm glad you came to me, the whole Clan thinks your warriors ceremonies were not needed; we know you two are brave cats, we just don't think you're ready right now. We cannot take away a warrior name; so yes, I'd love to teach you hunting moves." Her gaze flickered around the camp. "Freezestar is visiting ThunderClan right now, so now would be the perfect time to train. Do you know where your sister is?"

"She's on a border patrol," mewed Stoneheart. "I'm sure she can train with us when she gets back, though." Streamfrost agreed with Stoneheart; she didn't think they were prepared enough to become warriors yet. And, Streamfrost wasn't too happy about her name because Freezestar named her after him since she was the first to become a warrior.

The whole Clan knew about Freezestar's cruelty. They knew that there were cat claw marks on Mistystar and Reedwhisker's fur, but there was nothing they could do. Heronfang, Stoneheart's father, spoke up and he was found dead the next morning. Cats were afraid to speak up because they didn't want to endanger their family and themselves. It was only a matter of time before another cat spoke up, though. The only thing stopping Stoneheart was Streamfrost. She would be totally lost without him, and he didn't want her to do something dangerous if he died. So he chose to stay quiet.

Icewing led him to the Training Island, an island in-between three rivers that was covered in moss. It was perfect for battle training. The two swam across the river and pushed themselves onto the Training Island. When they finished drying themselves, Icewing spoke. "Okay, you know the basics of fighting and some moves. But now you have to know the kinds of hunting that the other Clans do, so you can exploit their weaknesses in battle. Even before that, however, you must learn about our weaknesses. Other Clans say that we are big and clumsy; that is part-true. We are bigger than other Clan cats, and we do not fight to our best above water, yet that holds one of our biggest advantages. Us RiverClan cats can never be injured badly because our glossy fur is like a shield; it's nearly impossible to claw us."

"Now," Icewing began again, "Today, I will teach you how to beat a WindClan cat. WindClan cats are small but very agile; they use their speed to their advantage. However, it is very easy to anticipate what they will do. They look where they are going with their eyes, so you must focus on that the whole time. Also, you must tire them. Here, I will pretend to be a WindClan cat and you will attack me..."

The training session went on until the sun set, and by the end of the day, Stoneheart felt as if he was ready to take on any WindClan cat that came at him. Icewing and Stoneheart padded back to camp, making small talk. "I still have some more WindClan tactics to teach you," Icewing explained. "But today was good for now. Tomorrow I'll teach you about ShadowClan. I want to teach you the tactics of our neighbors because they're our biggest threats. After we have both of those down, we'll start to work on ThunderClan moves."

"Sounds great," Stoneheart smiled at his former mentor. "Thanks, Icewing, for teaching me this stuff. I'm just afraid with Freezestar as the new leader, we'll go into battle very soon. I want to speak up, but I don't want my sister to be alone if I'm killed. Something's going to happen with Freezestar, I know it, and if I don't do something, I'll feel guilty for the rest of my life."

Icewing gave him a sad smile. "I think that's why most cats haven't spoken up," She meowed. "Plus, Freezestar has nine lives now, and he's an incredible fighter. He's practically invincible. There's nothing we can do unless we all band together and try and defeat him, and he will notice that. Sometimes, though, it takes the courage of one cat to start a rebellion." She paused. "How about this; you know your fighting isn't where it needs to be now that you're a warrior. When I train you up enough, maybe we can speak up against Freezestar. It's simply too dangerous now; you're not trained enough. But if you really feel guilty, I will stand beside you as you challenge Freezestar, and I know a lot of other cats will, too."

They swam through the river that surrounded their camp and shuffled through the reeds. Stoneheart thought about Icewing's words. She was right; it would be foolish to fight Freezestar when he was so strong and Stoneheart had little fighting experience. But if he trained hard to fight Freezestar, he might have a chance of saving his Clan.

Freezestar was on the Highrock, surveying his Clan. "Ah, you have decided to arrive. It's about time," He growled to Icewing and Stoneheart. "Where were you two? I want an answer, now."

"We were going to go hunting," Icewing spoke up. "But we heard a disturbance by the WindClan border. It turned out a dog was on the loose and attacking a patrol. We wanted no part of it, so we came back to camp. I wasn't aware there was a meeting going on tonight."

"Whatever," snarled Freezestar, his icy blue eyes glittering. "I have a new system in place. I have spoken to ThunderClan and they are not happy of my leadership, so I'm going to make myself more... say, fearful. RiverClan will be feared under my iron paw. And since you weaklings don't respect or listen to me, I'll have to put order in this place." He surveyed the Clan and Stoneheart glanced around, most looked apprehensive and worried. "Streamfrost and Duskfur, step forward."

Nervously, the two she-cats stepped forward towards the front of the crowd. Stoneheart felt his heart drop. No, not his sister! Anything but his sister, StarClan, no...

"I hear everything," whispered Freezestar. Stoneheart nearly flinched; Freezestar's whisper was menacing. It was almost like the whisper of death. "I heard what you said about me. So now you're going to pay," He leaped down from the rock and tackled Streamfrost, pinning her to the ground. "Kill Duskfur," He yowled into her ear.

"W-what?" stammered Streamfrost, confused. "I-I can't k-kill my own C-Clanmate, Freezestar!"

"Do you want me to kill the rest of your family in the most painful way possible?" snarled Freezestar. Streamfrost shook her head fearfully, her eyes pleading as she glanced at her brother. Stoneheart's mind was whirling, how could he save his sister? "Then do what I said. Kill Duskfur." He released his grip on Streamfrost and Streamfrost staggered forward, her claws unsheathed. Duskfur cowered, her eyes wide and pleading.

"Streamfrost, no," She whispered, backing away from the she-cat. "Y-you can't..."

Sadness flashed in Streamfrost's eyes, and Stoneheart couldn't take it anymore. He stepped to the front of the crowd, glaring at Freezestar. "I'll kill her," He declared, unsheathing his claws. The cats surrounding Stoneheart gasped; but Stoneheart ignored them. If he had to save anyone, it would be his sister.

"Trying to save your sister from ridicule, now, are you?" growled Freezestar. "I know what you're up to. Brave words, little kitten. Can you back them up and kill your Clanmate?"

"I can," Stoneheart rumbled. His Clanmates didn't understand. Stoneheart had a plan forming in his mind; if he got closer to Freezestar, he would be able to kill him more easily. It was simple. But, Stoneheart thought regretfully, RiverClan wasn't the most clever Clan. They would view him as a traitor.

"Then do it," Freezestar smiled.

Without the slightest hesitation, Stoneheart leaped onto Duskfur and closed his teeth around her neck. He heard wails coming from the gathered cats, and Stoneheart felt horrible. But he had to protect his sister. "I'm not evil," He murmured into Duskfur's ear as he took the life out of her. "I'm trying to kill Freezestar. You'll see. I'm so sorry." Finally, Duskfur went limp and Stoneheart stepped back. There was a faint glimmer of understanding before her eyes died out. Stoneheart felt a pang in his chest; he had just killed a Clanmate.

Freezestar was pleased. "Very good," He murmured to Stoneheart, circling around him. Turning to the gathered cats, he yowled, "At least one cat around here has the nerve to kill! Because of his bravery and willingness to listen, I promote Stoneheart to new deputy of RiverClan!"

The RiverClan cats were silent, watching Stoneheart with dismay. Stoneheart glanced over at his sister and saw anger and betrayal in her eyes; Streamfrost then turned her back on him. Stoneheart gawked, appalled; he was doing this to protect his sister!

Then, all at once, the RiverClan cats turned their backs on Stoneheart and Freezestar, showing their hatred and disrespect for their new leaders. Freezestar snarled angrily and yowled. "I will kill every single kit in this Clan if you do not listen to me! I am your leader! You follow _me_!" He had Stoneheart stand beside him. "Stoneheart has the right to kill any of you if he hears anything bad. As you can see, he is not afraid to do it. This meeting is over. Stoneheart, come with me."

Stoneheart followed the faded gray tom into the forest, apprehension and shame welling in his stomach. What had he just done? He had killed a fellow Clanmate, and now he was being rewarded for it. What kind of a messed up Clan was this? _StarClan help me. _He prayed.

Freezestar sat down and turned around towards Stoneheart, inviting him to sit down in front of him. "Why did you volunteer to kill Duskfur in the place of your sister?" He asked quietly.

"I-I wanted to protect her," admitted Stoneheart. "I didn't want my Clanmates to turn their backs on her like they did to me. I was willing to sacrifice shame in order to protect the one family member I have left."

"Cute," growled Freezestar. "But now that you are my deputy, there will be no mushy mouse-dung like that." His eyes glittered, a strange icy blue. "I know I made you a warrior earlier than needed. However, I will train you so that you will be the most deadly warrior in all of the Clans, you hear?"

"Yes," Stoneheart mewed solemnly.

"Alright. Training begins tomorrow at dawn and goes until dusk. Get some rest,"

Stoneheart retreated into the camp and saw the glares on every cat upon him. He glanced back, Freezestar was there, so he couldn't explain himself. "Come here, Stoneheart, I had the Clan make a special den for you. It is to be used by only the deputy of RiverClan, which means yourself." Freezestar led the young warrior to his new den. Immediately, Stoneheart realized it was much nicer than any other den he'd been in. It was lined with glittering shells and pretty reeds; and there was soft moss on the bottom. "Wow," He breathed in awe.

"Nice, huh?" Freezestar smiled. "You will have all of these luxuries and more if you choose to follow me. Now, go to sleep, you have a long day of training tomorrow."

Nodding, Stoneheart fell asleep right as his fur touched the moss.

* * *

_"Stoneheart..." _

_His voice echoed around the hollow. He was in some kind of forest; the rivers swirled around each tree and everything seemed to have a light glow. It was almost like everything was made out of starlight. Stoneheart whirled around, trying to find the source of the noise, but voices murmured his name from everywhere..._

_"Stoneheart!" Behind him, his mother was calling his name, her blue eyes full of a new wisdom. _

_"Mother!" Stoneheart mewed, approaching her. "I-Is that really you? Am I in StarClan? No... am I dead? Mother, you have to understand I was trying to protect Streamfrost when I killed Duskfur... please don't condemn me. I was trying to do the right thing..." Stoneheart's mews collapsed into fitful sobs. "I'm sorry, mother."_

_Mistystar's eyes were surprisingly soft. "StarClan knows your intentions were, and still are, right. There is nothing you or we can do about Freeze," Stoneheart noticed that Mistystar refused to call Freezestar by his leader name; she called him by his rogue name._

_"But, he's going to expect me to kill cats now," Stoneheart whispered. "I-I'm trying to spy on him and get as close to him as possible and then kill him. It's all an act, I swear. But my Clanmates don't realize and neither does Streamfrost... all I'm trying to do is protect them."_

_"They will realize," Mistystar soothed. "StarClan will not punish you; they know what you're trying to do and praise your bravery. Duskfur knew what you were doing, as well. StarClan does not count that as a murder, per say, more of something that brought you and Freeze closer together. Getting close to him is the only way you will ever defeat him. Just remember StarClan is here with you. You are a special cat."_

_"Why, because I'm with Freeze?" inquired Stoneheart._

_"No," Mistystar replied. "There is a prophecy going around, and you are a part of it. You are one of the Four; one of the cats that will stop history from repeating itself. You have a power, Stoneheart, a power that can be related to the Roaring Lion. A physical power."_

_"What do you mean?" asked Stoneheart. "I'm not sure what a Roaring Lion is? Or what my power is, and how I'm supposed to use it?"_

_"Think, Stoneheart," urged Mistystar. "I named you after my brother for a reason. Discover your power and find the other Four cats. Think of the nursery tales I told you, and what recently tore the Clans apart!" She calmed down and nodded at her son. She was beginning to fade._

_"Mother, don't leave me!" begged Stoneheart. "I still don't know what to do! Please, mother!"_

_"I will always be with you," Mistystar whispered, then completely faded. A wave of blackness swept over Stoneheart; and he awoke feeling confused and still unsure of what to do._

* * *

**AN: Have you guys noticed that most cats are named after the parent's dead brother/mom/sister?  
Eg.. Stoneheart = Stonefur, Flamepaw = Flametail, Featherpaw = Jayfeather, Firepaw = Firestar, Hollypaw = Hollyleaf, Honeypaw = Honeyfern **

**:3 Just thought I'd point that out~ I'm big on renaming cats after their dead uncles, aunts, etc.**


	16. F o u r t e e n

**The Legacy of the Three: Chapter Fourteen**

_Wrensong ._

Wrensong awoke the next day at sunset. She was relieved that she didn't have any duties today, so she could rest after her long night with Breezepelt. Her dreams were full of the tom; his soft amber gaze was always watching her, and she could feel the warmth of his black fur as his pelt pushed against hers. Right now, she considered him a friend. They had only met twice, so she didn't think of him any more than that. He was a pretty cool tom, though. Even though ShadowClan had a sneaky reputation, she'd never met a tom that badass in her life.

She padded out of the warriors' den and saw Hawkstrike heading towards her. She hadn't seen him all day because she was asleep, and she Wrensong wondered if he had any rest since his vigil. Mousepelt was asleep in the warriors' den right now. As the dark mottled tabby tom strode towards her, Wrensong noticed that he had changed a lot in the few hours since she last saw him. There was a cool, arrogance and swagger about him now, and Wrensong just noticed that he was huge. She hadn't really paid attention to his size when he was an apprentice and she was a warrior, but he could be one of the biggest warriors in the Clan.

"Hey," Hawkstrike meowed when he reached her, brushing his tail down her flank. He had never done that to her before, either, but Wrensong didn't mind. "Want to go hunting with me?" At Wrensong's doubtful expression, he leaned in closer. Wrensong's muzzle reached his shoulder. She had never been this close to the mottled tabby before. "Come on, it'll be fun."

"Have you got any sleep?" Wrensong asked. "You've been going all day, aren't you tired?"

Muscles rippled beneath Hawkstrike's pelt. "I got some sleep," He rumbled. Wrensong barely noticed how deep his voice was these days. "From dawn to the end of sunhigh. I haven't been on patrol all day, and I'm itching to hunt."

"I don't know if you're good enough to keep up with me," Wrensong mewed, a sparkle of a challenge in her green eyes. "I've heard you were a pretty lame hunter."

Hawkstrike's amber eyes narrowed. They weren't the same shade as Breezepelt's; Hawkstrike's were more honest and warm, while Breezepelt's were the same shade of warm, soft honey. "We'll see, Wrenkit," He laughed, seeing Wrensong flare up as she was called by her kit name. "Let's go, cats are staring,"

Wrensong glanced around the camp and saw Falconwing, Crowfrost and Applefur looking at the two smugly. Wrensong didn't get what they were staring at, so she bounded ahead of Hawkstrike and plunged into the forest. She was faster than the muscular tom, so she had time to duck behind a fallen log before he reached her.

"Wrensong?" He called out uncertainly, standing on top of the fallen log and scanning the forest for her. Wrensong jumped up and tackled Hawkstrike to the ground. The new warrior yelped in surprise as he thudded onto the ground. They were on a slope, so the two went tumbling down until they reached the lake shore. The sand stopped their tumbling, and they landed sprawled out onto the shore.

Wrensong laughed, mewing, "Who's stronger now?" But then she noticed that Hawkstrike wasn't moving. He was strangely limp. "Hawkstrike?" She mewed, prodding him. He didn't wake up. "Hawkstrike?" She placed her paw onto his chest; there was no breathing. "Come on, Hawkstrike, this isn't - " Suddenly, the huge tabby jumped up and easily pinned her on the ground, his eyes triumphant.

"And I thought you were smart!" He crowed, the sunset turning his fur a strange orangey color. "Now we know who the more superior warrior is." Hawkstrike's amber eyes spoke a challenge. When he least expected it, Wrensong quickly escaped his pin and jumped onto his back. He fell to the ground with an, 'oof!' and Wrensong stood on his shoulder. All of her paws could stand on it comfortably; it was that huge.

"Do you really want me to put you in your place, Wrensong?" grunted Hawkstrike. "You may be a good fighter, but I'm strong. I could swat you away like a fly."

"We'll see about that," Wrensong taunted. "After all, I'm the one standing on you right now." Suddenly, Hawkstrike began to shake below her, and Wrensong fell off of his shoulder and onto the sand. Hawkstrike took this moment of weakness to charge at her, but Wrensong was swift. She rolled out of the way, teasing Hawkstrike; but saw Hawkstrike go rigid. "Wrensong, stop!" He called as Wrensong continued to tumble down the sandy slope. Wrensong knew what was happening too soon: after a moment where she gasped for help, she plunged into the water.

The water was cool and dark. Wrensong tried thrashing her legs to swim, but she simply couldn't. She looked up to the surface and heard Hawkstrike calling out her name, his voice getting weaker and more desperate with every call. Wrensong continued to sink, and she prayed to StarClan and to the water. _Please lift me up, water, StarClan; whatever runs this place. Lift me up and take me out of here, I don't want to drown!_

Suddenly, she felt something pushing her up towards the surface. Wrensong gasped and looked down; a current of water was pulling her up. She suddenly thought about how the stones listened to her, and now how the water was listening to her. A sudden realization hit her. Could she control things and tell them what to do? Was that the mental power the StarClan cats were talking about?

Wrensong emerged onto the surface, and immediately she felt teeth close around her scruff and drag her to the shore. Hawkstrike. He was dragging her to the top of the shore, and Wrensong noticed that he was faintly shaking. She, too, was shaking. But not because of her almost-death; because of the realization that she could control things. Could she control... cats?

She reached into Hawkstrike's mind. It was a mess of different emotions; terror, fear, embarrassment, and a deep caring. _Run to the top of the slope._ Wrensong willed his mind; exiting it. As she exited his mind, he dashed to the top of the slope, Wrensong still in his jaws. _Oh my StarClan. _She thought to herself, her eyes widening at the thought. _I can _control _cats..._

When they reached the top of the slope, Hawkstrike immediately collapsed on Wrensong, panting. "Oh my StarClan," He murmured, his eyes raking her soaking pelt. "Please tell me you're okay, Wrensong. I-I tried to go in the lake, but the current was too strong. I'm sorry, it was my job to protect you..." He hung his head, ashamed. Wrensong lifted up her tail and rested it on his shoulder. Hawkstrike flinched in surprise.

"You did all you could," mewed Wrensong. "I would've done the same. And it's not your job to protect me, I can protect myself, you know. I'm a warrior now. Not a trembling kit."

"I wouldn't be hunting with a trembling kit," purred Hawkstrike, helping Wrensong onto her paws. "We need to do some actual hunting now, Rowanstar will be mad if we come back with no prey. Do you think you could still hunt, or do you want Foxfur to check you out?"

"I can hunt," Wrensong meowed. "I'm a ShadowClan cat, not a weak ThunderClan cat."

"That's what I like to hear," smiled Hawkstrike, flicking her muzzle gently with his tail. "Let's go. I could really go for a squirrel." He bounded away, and Wrensong caught up with him easily. Wrensong was slimmer and nimbler than Hawkstrike. He was large and strong, but not the quickest cat. Soon, they both slowed as they arrived at the perfect hunting spot. Wrensong could smell the different species of prey; birds, squirrels, mice, and a few toads. Toads weren't Wrensong's favorite, and she usually went for the forest prey.

By moonhigh, they had caught more prey than they could carry and Wrensong's stomach was starting to rumble. After she deposited a blackbird in their makeshift freshkill pile, she meowed to Hawkstrike, "Want to just eat our prey here? We could finish off some of the prey that we can't carry."

"Good idea," mewed Hawkstrike. The mottled tabby warrior glanced over at Wrensong. "Want to split this squirrel? It's nice and juicy, almost like it's the middle of greenleaf." Wrensong was craving squirrel, so she said yes and the two finished the squirrel off easily. After they finished, they grabbed all of their prey and placed it on the fresh-kill pile at camp. Few cats were awake; milling about and going off on the moonhigh border patrol. "Are you tired?" Hawkstrike asked Wrensong, giving her a sideways glance.

The squirrel had filled Wrensong with energy, and she discovered that she was hardly tired at all. "No, not at all," She mewed, suspicious as to what Hawkstrike was up to. "Why? Are you?"

"No," replied Hawkstrike, beginning to pad out of camp. "C'mon."

"Where are you going?" Wrensong asked as she caught up to the huge warrior.

"I found this place awhile ago," mewed Hawkstrike, glancing back at Wrensong to make sure that she was following. "It's really cool. And it's on our territory, so we won't be breaking any dumb rules or anything." Wrensong didn't respond, she just followed Hawkstrike through the dense forest until they reached the lake.

"What're we doing here?" wondered Wrensong aloud.

"So many questions," murmured Hawkstrike playfully, blinking at Wrensong with the deep amber eyes. "Just follow me." Hawkstrike approached the lake and pointed with his tail to a stone path that seemed to come out from it. "Look, it's a large rock path in the lake," He meowed excitedly. "Follow it!" Making sure Wrensong followed him, Hawkstrike trotted onto the stone bridge until he reached a huge piece of wood. He hopped onto it and Wrensong followed.

"What is this?" Wrensong asked curiously. The piece of wood swayed under her paws uncomfortably, but it stayed in its place. _How strange._

"A wood square," replied Hawkstrike, laying down on it. "I saw Twolegs climb on the stonebridge and come onto this, so one night, I did too," He glanced at Wrensong. "Lie down with me." When she did, he pointed up to the stars with his tail. "Aren't they beautiful?" He whispered, his eyes reflecting the starlight.

"Yeah," admitted Wrensong. It was a cloudless night, so the view of the stars was incredible. "I didn't think you were a deep cat, Hawkstrike. I thought there was only muscle and other tom thoughts in that walnut-sized brain of yours." She glanced at Hawkstrike and saw him smile.

"I'm a pretty deep cat, Wrensong. You just haven't noticed me before. You only started noticing me today," His voice cracked and he almost sounded hurt. "Maybe it's because I was a little too immature as an apprentice. But I've always... uh, cared for you. A lot."

Wrensong was confused. They were raised like siblings; of course Hawkstrike would care for her. "Well, before last quarter-moon, you were always interested in Grasspaw. I didn't really pay attention to you then because Grasspaw is a pretty WindClan she-cat; what tom wouldn't fall for her? I was just the mysterious she-cat that no cat really knew about."

"That's what's so intriguing about you," Hawkstrike whispered. "I've known you my whole life, yet I feel like I only know a part of you. Not even a part of you. I used Grasspaw. I thought she'd make you jealous, but she didn't. Leafpaw came along, and Grasspaw left me. We never really met up that much, anyway. She's kind of boring."

"What are you saying?" asked Wrensong, not really catching Hawkstrike's hint. "Do you want to know me better or something?"

"Yes," murmured Hawkstrike. "I want to be there for you when cats like Falconwing are making you upset. I want to know everything about you. You're just... really cool, I guess. An interesting cat."_  
_

Wrensong's heart warmed up as she listened to Hawkstrike's comments. "Thanks," She meowed. Her eyes were beginning to tire and she yawned. Hawkstrike glanced at her. "I think we should go back to camp," He murmured, and Wrensong nodded sleepily. They exited the wood-square and headed back to camp, both tired because of the long afternoon.

* * *

As Wrensong descended into the tunnels the next night, she felt extremely guilty. She knew that Hawkstrike really liked her, but she wasn't sure what she felt of him right now. Hawkstrike was nice and good to her, but Breezepelt gave her a feeling of excitement that Wrensong couldn't describe. Whenever she was meeting with Breezepelt, she always felt the cool rush of adrenaline coursing through her veins. She thrived on the risk; the sensation that they were doing something wrong.

"Wrensong," Breezepelt greeted her as she entered the tunnels. Immediately, Wrensong's heart began to thump at an uncontrollable rate. Sure, Hawkstrike was amazingly fit, but Breezepelt had a good body in his own way, too. He wasn't abnormally huge like Hawkstrike; he was a bit taller yet leaner than Wrensong, and she liked that medium.

She purred as Breezepelt circled around her and playfully butted her with his head on her shoulder. "How have the past few days been?" Wrensong asked, opening her eyes to see Breezepelt watching them carefully.

"Lonely, and kind of boring," He admitted with a shrug. "Onestar's almost dead, and it's his last life, so I expect my father will take over soon. I'm working really hard to become deputy. It's good that our relationship is getting better, or else I wouldn't have a chance." Breezepelt blinked slowly at Wrensong. "How about you?"

"...Interesting," admitted Wrensong. "My friend Hawkstrike just became a warrior, and he's been acting kind of strange with me. We go hunting a lot. But the funny thing is, he's never really been interested in me before. He's always been interested in the WindClan apprentice, Grasspaw."

A flash of jealousy sparked Breezepelt's amber eyes. "W-what do you mean? I didn't know you were seeing other toms," His voice sounded hurt. "I thought we were friends, Wrensong."

"I've only met you three times," Wrensong mewed softly. "Besides, Hawkstrike is kind of boring. I mean, I know we're friends, but I really like meeting with you. You're right, the risk is everything. It's like, I feel a fiery rush pumping through my blood whenever we meet down here. I never thought I would ever meet with a tom from another Clan, to be honest."

"We can meet more than three times, if you like it that much," mewed Breezepelt confidently. "I'll meet you whenever I want."

"Don't you want to be deputy?" asked Wrensong, lightly flicking his muzzle with her tail. She felt him shiver softly and drew away, unsure of what the shiver was for. "And don't you have kits? I don't want to be taking over your life, Breezepelt." She decided this was the time to voice her thoughts about Breezepelt. "I-I feel like you're using me as a distraction from Heathertail. You don't want to be friends with me for me, you're just using me as a comforting object to help you when you're down."

"No, you're wrong," whispered Breezepelt, appalled. "I never loved Heathertail. Onestar made me mate with his daughter because he needed some kits in his Clan, and we were the only cats who the Clan wanted as mates. I cared for her, but never loved her." The black tom blinked slowly, watching Wrensong. "You're not taking over my life, either. You're making it more exciting than it ever was."

Wrensong narrowed her eyes playfully. "But you're such a badass, apparently," She murmured, a smile on her lips. "I thought you already would have had enough excitement."

"Yeah, and what's more badass then a WindClan cat getting with a ShadowClan she-cat?" asked Breezepelt.

"What, are you using me so you can brag about hanging out with a ShadowClan cat?" challenged Wrensong. "I honestly don't know why you're meeting me down here."

"No!" Breezepelt growled. "Wrensong, don't you _get_ it? Can't you take a _hint?_ I've only known you for three days, and I've already fallen for you! There's just something about you, something that isn't like other ShadowClan cats. Maybe it's your mystery; how no cat knows about you, yet you're so famous and sought-after. Maybe it's the green eyes and your unique pelt. I don't _know_, okay?"

Wrensong remained silent, listening to Breezepelt's rant. She had never been quite good with toms, so she didn't fully understand what he was saying. "I-I... there's nothing special about me, Breezepelt. You have plenty of beautiful she-cats in your Clan, but there's honestly nothing that intriguing about me."

"Okay, whatever you say," muttered Breezepelt. "Whatever. You can't take a hint for your life, Wrensong. And I'm really bored standing around in this cave, so we should do something fun."

"Like what?" Wrensong asked curiously, their previous conversation forgotten. "I don't really feel like throwing stones at ThunderClan cats, to be honest. I want to have more of an adventure."

Breezepelt glanced around the tunnels. "There's really nothing to do except throwing stones at cats." He meowed slowly, "But if you're up to it, I can give you a tour around here. There's much cooler places than the Cross, you know. You just haven't really explored around."

Wrensong's ears piqued with interest. "I want a tour around the place," She admitted. "The Cross can get really boring, you're right."

"Alright," Breezepelt smiled at her, his amber eyes glowing. "Follow me. And this time, don't get lost," He hopped on top of the ledge and disappeared into the cave. Narrowing her eyes, Wrensong followed him and disappeared into the maze of tunnels, trying to follow Breezepelt's warm scent. As they went further into the tunnels, Wrensong noticed that they were getting wider and taller. Also, there were wooden planks and metal rails below her paws. Strange things that looked like Twoleg-made lights hung ahead, swaying mysteriously. Honestly, Wrensong was a bit creeped out by this. They descended further until Breezepelt halted suddenly. Wrensong looked up and saw a huge Twoleg monster. She was frozen with fear. "B-Breezepelt...!" She stammered nervously.

"It's fine, it's sleeping," Breezepelt coaxed her. He then leaped on top of it and climbed into the monster's belly. "Come on, it's sleeping, remember?"

Wrensong felt doubtful, but she jumped on top of the hood of the monster and clambered into its belly. The seats inside the belly were so soft; softer than any nest Wrensong had ever slept in. "Wow, this is nice," She murmured, allowing herself to sink into the plush seat.

"I know, right?" Breezepelt mewed with a smile. "It's fun to hang out in here and get cozy. But we're not here to do that, yet. There's more important things to see, come on." He hopped out of the Twoleg monster and descended deeper into the tunnels, Wrensong nervously following him.

They emerged into a space about as big as the Cross, but it had a more secretive air about it. Also, the place was flooded with the clearest water Wrensong had ever seen. The moonlight shone high above, so it hit the water perfectly; making it look like the pool was full of moonshine. "This is incredible," breathed Wrensong, her eyes wide.

"Yeah," admitted Breezepelt. "It's kind of a bigger version of the Moonpool, but more secretive. We're the only Clan cats that know about this place, so it could be our meeting place." His gaze flickered to the direction they had came in. "I saw Leafpaw - or, Leafstorm, now - and Grasspaw in the Cross when I got there. They saw me and kind of dashed towards the WindClan tunnels," Breezepelt shrugged. "So it's not really private there. But here; it's all ours. Do you like it?"

"Yes, it's beautiful," murmured Wrensong. "But there's one problem; I can't swim, and neither can you. And this whole thing is full of water."

"Fun fact about me: I do know how to swim," smirked Breezepelt. "And I like the water, too. I can teach you to swim, if you're up to it. Or is that too _scary_?"

Wrensong remembered how her powers had saved her before when she almost drowned; so she supposed if she did drown, that her powers would save her. "I'm not a kit," She growled. "I'm a ShadowClan warrior. And a pool of water isn't going to scare me off."

"Then get in," Breezepelt meowed, suddenly coming from behind Wrensong and pushing her in. Wrensong gasped, feeling herself plunge into the water; but then her paws landed on stone, and she realized that she could stand at this height. She emerged, spitting out water and growling. "When I learn how to swim, I'll get you back," She vowed dangerously.

"Yeah, right," laughed Breezepelt, jumping into the water and splashing Wrensong. She hissed angrily; water wasn't really her thing.

But that night, she enjoyed the water. She enjoyed the company of Breezepelt and how he made her feel on her toes all the time. She loved Hawkstrike dearly, but he could never do that to her... or could he? There was a lot going on in Wrensong's mind; with her supposed 'destiny' and how two handsome toms were chasing after her, but she forgot about all of that as she enjoyed her night with Breezepelt.

* * *

**AN: Please review! These chapters take a lot of work & I update with about 2 a day, so any review would be appreciated :) Thank you x**

**This whole book won't be about Wrensong's lovers. I just wanted to introduce a little subplot, I suppose :) ****Breezepelt or Hawkstrike? Which do you prefer? ;)**

**PS - The "huge piece of wood" or "wood-square" is a floating dock. If you don't know what that is, search it up :) It's pretty much a floating dock chained on the bottom of the lake. **


	17. F i f t e e n

**The Legacy of the Three: Chapter Fifteen**

_Galepaw ._

Galepaw was loving every second of being an apprentice. In WindClan, life was never dull; he was always running after something, be it a piece of prey or the dog that kept bothering the Clan. That same dog was the dog who took one of Onestar's lives and killed his mother. Galepaw wanted revenge on this evil dog who brutally murdered his mother.

His life was quite different now. Ever since Weaselfur told Onestar and Crowfeather about Galepaw's astonishing speed, he had been training with Crowfeather more often than Weaselfur. Crowfeather told Galepaw that he wasn't training with Onestar because Onestar was about to die, and Galepaw just shrugged it off. He wanted to be a normal warrior more than anything else; not treated specially because he could run fast.

WindClan was using them in their battle to drive out the dog. Galepaw would dash around the dog, confusing it; and if he could, reach in for a swipe to the nose or another body part. Galepaw was honored to be chosen for such an important role; being the fastest cat in WindClan was something to brag about. But unlike his father, Galepaw didn't quite care for bragging.

Fogpaw, on the other paw, was another story. She was fiercely jealous of Galepaw's new power and expressed these feelings to him. Galepaw was confused, wondering why his sister would be jealous of something so pointless. "It's really nothing to be jealous for," Galepaw tried explaining to her, "You'll always be the more likable kit."

"I don't want that trait," Fogpaw had growled. "I want to be fast, like you. I want to have the senior warriors train me and care for me."

Galepaw had shrugged, he didn't really know what to say at this state. Fogpaw huffed and stalked away, her tail in the air. Galepaw had ignored her and trotted over to Crowfeather, who told him they were going to chase out the dog today. And now, that was what Galepaw was doing.

"Galepaw, circle around the dog!" commanded Crowfeather. Galepaw obeyed, circling around the dog. While he was circling, the slow-motion thing came back. He was in slow motion while everything around him was speeding. So, Galepaw could see every note of confusion in the dog's face as he spun around. It was strange; all animals, including himself, became slow-motion when he was running. But the plants and the sky sped from the corners of his vision. He was still working out how to use his power. "Good!" He saw Crowfeather and Weaselfur slowly charge at the dog, raking their claws down his neck and flank. The dog whimpered, but Crowfeather and Weaselfur continued.

"It's breaking ranks!" called Weaselfur. "Galepaw, stop running!"

Galepaw halted immediately, and the dog tore from Galepaw's running tornado and ran; whimpering and bleeding, back to the farm. Cries of delight sounded from behind Galepaw, and the young apprentice saw Crowfeather and Weaselfur cheering for him. Galepaw's heart warmed, and he smiled. "Great job, Galepaw!" praised Weaselfur, smiling at his new apprentice. "Keep this up and you'll be a warrior in no time! But we need to work on those hunting moves,"

Galepaw was an astounding hunter due to his speed, but not the greatest fighter. When Weaselfur was teaching him moves, Galepaw would depend on his speed to dodge them; he didn't really know any moves to fight back with. Galepaw couldn't help it, really, he was becoming dependent on his speed.

"Really good job," agreed Crowfeather, nodding to Galepaw. "Weaselfur's right; you just need to work on your fighting skills and you'll make a great warrior. I already have a good name in mind for you."

"But, I've only been an apprentice for a quarter-moon," Galepaw pointed out as they reached camp.

"Well, the minimum is really four moons of training," Crowfeather mewed. "But WindClan apprentices usually become warriors before other Clans, anyway; we don't have as many hunting tactics. We just chase rabbits, it's as simple as that. And maybe get a mouse if we're lucky."

As they entered camp, cats swarmed around the patrol, asking if they killed the dog. Crowfeather shook his head sadly. "We couldn't kill it," He meowed regretfully. His voice became more cheerful as he added, "But we scratched him up pretty badly. He won't ever be coming back, I can guarantee you that."

The WindClan cats cheered; the dog had caused many problems in the past, and the fact that it was gone called for a celebration. The WindClan cats loved to celebrate, and when they did; they all shared tongues with each other and feasted on rabbits. It was a fun time.

In the middle of the ceremony, a wail was heard from the nursery. Whitetail darted out of the nursery and yowled, "It's Furzepelt! She's kitting! Kestrelflight!" But every cat knew that Kestrelflight was out collecting herbs, so Whiskerfur dashed into the nursery with a mouthful of herbs instead. Minutes passed, and Galepaw couldn't help but listen to Furzepelt's strangled yowls of pain. His stomach clenched; he was glad he wasn't a she-cat so he would never have to go through such unbearable pain.

Finally, the yowls quieted and Galepaw could hear faint coo's coming from the nursery. He also heard little mewling and assumed that the kits had come out. Whitetail padded out of the nursery; all eyes were on her, the Clan wanted to know about the kits. "Two she-kits and one tom!" Whitetail declared proudly. The WindClan cats purred happily, new kits were always greeted with enthusiasm. Galepaw couldn't wait to meet them. He had never met small kits before, and they seemed interesting.

"What are their names?" A cat called out from the crowd.

"One moment," Whitetail mewed and ducked back into the nursery. She came out and mewed, "One she-kit is a light silver tabby, her name is Frostkit. The other she-kit is a mottled silver, and her name is Rainkit. The tom is a dark gray tabby. His name is Stormkit."

Immediately, the WindClan cats began to cheer. "Frostkit! Rainkit! Stormkit! Frostkit! Rainkit! Stormkit!"

"What beautiful names," murmured Fogpaw from beside Galepaw. Galepaw looked over at his sister, unaware that she was sitting beside him. "Hey," He mewed, looking at her hopefully.

"Hi," She muttered cautiously. Then, she looked at him with her startling heather-blue eyes. "Look, I'm really sorry for how I treated you, Galepaw. Since Dad's never really around anymore I realized that you're the only family I really have left. And I shouldn't have treated you like that. You can't control whether you have a power or not. So... I'm sorry."

Galepaw smiled at Fogpaw. "It's alright," He mewed. "And Dad's still around. I think he's just embarrassed to look at us because he hasn't really been there for us. Come on, let's find him." Fogpaw blinked, unsure, but followed Galepaw nevertheless. Galepaw slithered through the crowd until he spotted the familiar black pelt.

"Dad!" He mewed, jumping on his father. Breezepelt froze, and glanced behind him to see his son. His eyes softened a bit, and he smiled. "Hi, buddy," He murmured; his eyes trailed to Fogpaw. "Hi, Fogpaw,"

"Hi," Fogpaw meowed a bit nervously.

"I heard you helped get rid of the dog," Breezepelt meowed, turning his attention to Galepaw. He rested his tail on his son's small shoulder. "Good job, bud. Your... ah, mother, would have been proud."

Galepaw smiled. "Thanks, Dad,"

"You better get some sleep, both of you," meowed Breezepelt, glancing up at the sky; the moon had risen. Galepaw hadn't noticed amid the celebrations. At Galepaw's hesitation, Breezepelt nudged him and Fogpaw towards the apprentice's area. "Seriously," He muttered. "Go to bed. You have to wake up at dawn for training tomorrow, remember?"

"Yeah," Fogpaw yawned, sleepily. The two apprentices trudged towards the area where the apprentice's slept. It was right under a rocky overhang, so it provided shelter. Rockpaw and Grasspaw were already curled up, and Galepaw joined them; falling into a blissful, comfortable sleep.

* * *

_Galepaw awoke in a moor. The breeze peacefully blew by him, making the grass whisper. Galepaw looked around and realized this was not a moor he recognized; everything seemed to be shining, as though it was made of starlight. The young WindClan glanced up at the sky; it was nighttime. Where was he?_

_"Hello, Galepaw," A black and white tom with yellow eyes materialized in front of him. Galepaw jumped in surprise; he hadn't noticed the tom. The tom smiled softly at the apprentice's jump and flicked his tail; which was very large. Galepaw blinked, the cat looked slightly familiar, as if he had heard of him from somewhere._

_"Who're you?" Galepaw asked curiously, looking around the marvelous place. "And where am I? Is this your home? It's very pretty. How did you get everything to be shiny, as if it was made of starlight?" Upon closer examination of the tom, Galepaw noticed that he had starlight shining on his fur, too. "And how are you made of stars?"_

_"I am Tallstar," Tallstar meowed. Galepaw recognized the name at once; Tallstar had been in many of the nursery tales Galepaw had heard from his mother. He was the leader before Onestar, and apparently good friends with those ThunderClan cats. "I am a member of StarClan, that's why my fur is shiny," He added with a soft chuckle. "You're very inquisitive, Galepaw."_

_Galepaw realized that if Tallstar was a member of StarClan, then he was probably in StarClan; but he didn't know why. "I thought StarClan cats only visited important cats like medicine cats and warriors," murmured Galepaw, confused. "Why would you be visiting me?"_

_Tallstar smiled. "You are an important cat, my friend. I would've thought you'd known about your importance when we blessed you with the power of incredible speed."_

_"I only thought I was fast because I'm related to Wind," admitted Galepaw sheepishly. "But I never thought StarClan gave me those powers! How cool! What is my power for, exactly? To drive out that dog that killed my mother and almost killed our leader, Onestar?"_

_"No," Tallstar mewed, wisdom shining in his yellow eyes. "It's for something much greater than that. Listen to me, I am about to tell you something important," Galepaw leaned in, and Tallstar murmured in his ear, "'__There will be seven plagues until peace is restored. __The first plague will strike WindClan; a deadly killer that comes with the freeze._'_ That is your first omen."_

_Galepaw cocked his head in confusion. "P-plagues? What exactly is a plague, Tallstar?"_

_"A sickness," Tallstar murmured. "Something bad. Something that you must stop, or else WindClan may perish."_

_"H-how can I stop this, Tallstar?" whispered Galepaw, his heart beating fervently in his chest. "How do I stop the first plague?"_

_"I cannot tell you," Tallstar mewed regretfully. "The destiny of WindClan lies in your paws, Galepaw. My time is over; it's your generation, now."_

_The tom began to fade. "Wait!" Galepaw called, but it was too late; he was already spinning into a world of darkness, and he could not stop._

* * *

"Galepaw?" A paw was prodding him. Galepaw wearily opened his eyes to find Rockpaw's amber eyes staring back at him. "Hey, Galepaw. Sorry to wake you, but we're on the dawn patrol with Weaselfur and Harespring. They're getting a little impatient, so let's go." Galepaw quickly got out of his nest and trotted to the other side of camp, where Weaselfur and Harespring were waiting.

Weaselfur nodded drowsily at Galepaw. "Hi," He yawned, flicking his tail wearily. "We're patrolling by the RiverClan border; Crowfeather wants to see if we can see what's going on with this Freezestar character. Are you sure he's the tom that captured you?"

Galepaw nodded. Upon returning to camp, Galepaw told Onestar and Crowfeather that Freezestar was indeed Alpine, and Galepaw guessed that Freezestar was going by a different name so he wouldn't be recognized in the future. "We can't interfere with other Clans' business," Onestar had rasped, "But, we should take indirect action, per say." He ordered Crowfeather to increase RiverClan border patrols, and Crowfeather obeyed. So now, there were about three patrols that went to RiverClan each day and about two that went to ThunderClan.

"Alright, then," Harespring growled, narrowing his eyes. "If I see him, I won't hesitate to rip his pelt off. No cat gets away with almost drowning a WindClan kit!"

"Let's go, I don't want to waste daylight," Weaselfur mewed, and the patrol set out. The WindClan cats were sprinting towards the border, but Galepaw didn't want to show off, so he trotted along with them. Even his trot was faster than their sprints, so he resorted to a power-walk, which was about the same speed. As Galepaw saw the rivers ahead, he couldn't help but feel a shiver in his spine. When he was captured, he was taken behind RiverClan territory, so the territory didn't hold good memories for the WindClan apprentice.

They arrived at the RiverClan border and marked it. As they were about to leave, a RiverClan patrol was approaching, and Weaselfur ordered them to stop in order to gain news. The RiverClan cats arrived, and Weaselfur didn't hesitate to question them. "How is Freezestar doing?" He asked.

It was evident that Freezestar wasn't doing a great job because the RiverClan cats glanced at each other before a silver tabby she-cat stepped forward. Her bright blue eyes looked nervous and angry. "Uh, we're doing fine," She meowed with a nervous laugh. "Freezestar is a great leader, I-I can definitely see why StarClan chose him."

Rockpaw and Galepaw exchanged an uneasy look. The RiverClan cats were definitely lying about Freezestar; even Galepaw could see that. He couldn't wait until the next Gathering when Onestar would accuse Freezestar of capturing Galepaw in front of all of the other Clans. Weaselfur could catch their uneasiness, and he pounced on it. "Really?" He asked. "Then why is their uneasiness in your eyes? Why do you seem nervous? And the biggest question is, why is a rogue leading your Clan?"

"We told you!" a brownish tom growled. "StarClan sent us a sign after our leader and deputy were killed! Freezestar i-is a great leader, don't assume things!"

"Yeah, right," snorted Harespring, rolling his eyes. "Who's your deputy, then? Another rogue?"

"No," growled the bright-eyed silver tabby. "Our new deputy is Stoneheart." Her voice faltered after mewing, 'Stoneheart', but her eyes were cool.

"S-Stonepaw?" asked Rockpaw nervously. "And you're Streampaw. You've only been apprentices for three moons."

"Freezestar made us warriors," growled the silver tabby. "And my name is Streamfrost now."

"It's suspicious how he made you warriors so early," mewed Weaselfur. "It almost sounds like what Brokenstar did, making kits into apprentices early and apprentices into warriors..."

"Look," snarled the brown tom. "This is our Clan, not yours! Don't tell us what to do and how to run it! Go run and catch some rabbits!"

Weaselfur roared in his face, making the brown tom flinch back in fear. He turned back to the patrol and mewed, "Obviously, these RiverClan cats have changed quite a bit. Let's go. I don't trust them one bit anymore, but it's not like I ever did, anyway." Spinning around, he stalked away, followed by the WindClan cats.

Galepaw stayed back for a second and mewed quickly, "I'm sorry. I know what he is like," Without waiting for a response, he followed his Clanmates back to the moors.

* * *

**AN: Please review! I have fifteen chapters and only about 10 reviews, so it's a little disheartening :/ Thanks!**


	18. S i x t e e n

**The Legacy of the Three: Chapter Sixteen**

_Wrensong ._

_She was in the same clearing she always awoke in when she was sleeping. The moon hung lazily above her; in StarClan, the moon always seemed to be full. Also, the stars seemed to glitter brighter than they did on earth. Wrensong supposed it was because StarClan was heaven, so naturally the warriors living there received the best land and resources. Maybe the sky above her was a dream... well, everything here was a dream._

_"There will be seven plagues," A voice murmured in her ear. Wrensong whirled around, trying to find the source of the voice, but she couldn't locate it. She ended up spinning in a circle, but there was no cat around her... only a voice. "The first will strike WindClan. The second, ShadowClan... beware... your medicine cat's namesake may destroy your Clan..."_

_"What?" Wrensong called, fear entering her body. "Please, tell me when this plague will strike! And what, exactly, do you mean? Please?"_

_"During the next truce... the second plague..." whispered the voice. "That is all... find the other Three..."_

* * *

Wrensong woke up with a start; that dream had been the scariest by far. StarClan was much creepier with cats... she would have been more comforted if one cat was there, it could've been a RiverClan cat, she didn't care. The voice was so ominous... and it promised a series of plagues.

Wrensong climbed out of her nest and emerged into the camp. She was on the sunset hunting patrol, so she had time to waste. "Wrensong!" She heard a voice call her name. Wrensong turned around and saw Rowanstar striding towards her; his muscles rippling under his pelt. "Hello, Wrensong," He greeted her.

Wrensong dipped her head to ShadowClan's leader. "Hi, Rowanstar," She meowed. "What's up?"

Rowanstar glanced over to the nursery. "Pinenose and Ferretclaw's kits are nearing their apprentice age. I have thought long and hard, and decided that I want you to take on the responsibility of an apprentice."

Wrensong cocked her head, confused. She was one of the newest warriors, she usually didn't take an apprentice until about three moons. "B-but, I'm one of the newest warriors," She meowed, confused. "You know I can be impatient, so what if I get a really annoying apprentice? And half the Clan still doesn't trust me, so how would they feel if I was training one of their own?"

"Exactly," Rowanstar smiled. "This is your chance to prove yourself to the Clan, Wrensong. I don't care what the other warriors think; I've already discussed it with Ferretclaw and Pinenose and they're fine with it. Also, it'll teach you responsibility and patience, which you need."

"Thanks," grumbled Wrensong, knowing that Rowanstar spoke the truth. "Which kit am I going to mentor?"

"How about you go into the nursery and meet them with me?" Rowanstar asked. "I'm seeing which kit will go best with each mentor I've chosen. If you really like one, I'll take your choice into account when I decide."

"Okay," Wrensong mewed, as they approached the nursery. "There's three kits, right?" Rowanstar nodded; the two ducked into the nursery. The kits looked up at Wrensong and Rowanstar with huge eyes. One was a ginger tabby, one a light brown tabby, and the other was a black tabby.

"Kits, this is Rowanstar, the Clan leader," Pinenose mewed. The kits gasped, and then Pinenose introduced them to Wrensong. "The ginger tom is Redkit, the light brown tabby she-kit is Cloverkit, and the black tabby tom is Darkkit." As Wrensong was visiting them, she took mental notes. Cloverkit seemed energetic, Redkit was difficult, and Darkkit was a jokester but a bit quiet.

"I like Cloverkit," Wrensong mewed when the exited the nursery. Rowanstar smiled to her. "I thought you'd like him, too. She's energetic, which you are sometimes, I guess. But you're more easygoing, so maybe Cloverkit will bring out a spark in you. She may be the apprentice for you."

"Great," Wrensong grinned. "Who are the other mentors, and when will the kits be apprenticed?"

"Well, I was thinking they'd be apprenticed at sunset," Rowanstar looked thoughtful. "Then, you could take Cloverkit on the patrol, and take her home..." _Oh, StarClan, I'm supposed to be meeting Breezepelt tonight!_ "The other mentors are Hawkstrike and Scorchfur."_  
_

Wrensong nodded. It was sunhigh, so she had time to spare. "So I can go hunting before sunset, and then take my apprentice hunting?" She asked.

"That sounds good," Rowanstar mewed, retiring to his den. "See you later,"

Wrensong flicked her tail to let him know she had heard. Right as Rowanstar left, she saw a huge figure approaching her. Hawkstrike. She smiled as Hawkstrike gave her a friendly butt on her shoulder. _I swear, he's growing by the day!_ She thought. He was already huge. Wrensong even heard the elders comparing him to Tigerstar. "Hey," He purred. "I heard you're a mentor, too. Have you met the kits yet?"

"Yeah," meowed Wrensong. "They're nice. I really like Cloverkit."

"Darkkit seems interesting," Hawkstrike murmured, brushing his pelt against hers. "Do you want to go hunting? I'm starving."

Wrensong glanced back; she would've invited Mousepelt, who always seemed left out lately, but she had been spending a lot of time with Falconwing recently. Wrensong was glad the she-cat had some cat to distract herself with, because Hawkstrike and Wrensong were together a lot. "Sure," She said. When they emerged into the forest, she flicked his flank with her tail. "What's up?" Wrensong asked. "Why'd you want to go hunting with me all of the sudden? We're both on the sunset hunting patrol."

"I guess I just wanted some time away from everyone," Hawkstrike admitted sheepishly, glancing at Wrensong with his wide, amber eyes. "I'm not even in the mood for hunting, but I am hungry."

"Me, too," murmured Wrensong. Thoughts of betrayal clouded her mind whenever she was with Hawkstrike. She was torn between Hawkstrike and Breezepelt; she knew she could only choose one in the end. Hawkstrike cared for her and all, but he wasn't as exciting as Breezepelt was...

Suddenly, Hawkstrike darted into the bushes. Wrensong was momentarily confused until he trotted back, a squirrel in his jaws. Hi placed it in between them and flicked his tail, signaling for her to take the first bite. They ate until there was nothing left of the squirrel. Wrensong looked up at Hawkstrike, who was staring at her with bright amber eyes. A cold wind blew through the forest, and Wrensong shivered; leaf-fall truly was coming. Hawkstrike huddled close to her, protecting her from the wind, and licked her shoulder softly. Wrensong responded by licking his chest, and soon the two were sharing tongues in the middle of the forest, peacefully.

"Wrensong," He murmured into her ear as they finished. She looked up at him with her emerald eyes, cocking her head as if to say, "yeah?" Hawkstrike simply smiled down at her. "We've been really close the last few moons, so I just wanted to ask you... d-do you want to be my mate?"

The question took Wrensong by surprise. If she said yes, she knew that she'd be betraying Breezepelt... but if she said no... she didn't want to break Hawkstrike's heart. Maybe the Clan would accept her if she was the mate to a pureblood warrior like Hawkstrike. But, she wasn't quite ready to actually _mate_ yet; she wanted to be a warrior for a little bit more. Plus, she was about to mentor an apprentice! "Yes," She whispered. "But - I'm not ready to have kits yet. I've just become a warrior, and I'm about to have an apprentice." He twined her tail with hers. "You understand, right?"

"Of course I do," He purred. "Now that we've talked about that, let's go back to camp. The ceremony is any minute."

As they were walking back to camp, they heard a few rustles coming from the bushes next to them, and Wrensong smelled a rank scent. "Hawkstrike..." She meowed, unsheathing her claws. "I smell a..."

A fox leaped out from the bushes and charged at Hawkstrike. "No!" screamed Wrensong, trying to attack the fox, but the fox swatted her away and knocked her out. When she awoke, she saw Hawkstrike bravely fighting the fox and keeping it away from Wrensong. Suddenly, remembering her powers, Wrensong reached into the fox's mind...

_Kill, kill. I am to kill every cat. Kill, kill. Soon a fox pack will kill all cats in shadow forest..._ Wrensong was mutinous. "Kill yourself," She whispered into the fox's mind. "Drop down dead."

Right as she whispered these words into the fox's head, the fox immediately went limp. Hawkstrike panted, muttering, "What the hell?" before checking the fox to see if it was alive. It wasn't. Hawkstrike padded up to Wrensong and helped her up; the dark tabby didn't seem to have any serious injuries. "How are you not injured?" gasped Wrensong. "I was out for awhile!"

Hawkstrike laughed. "Only one second, and the fox only had time to scratch me, like, once," He glanced back at the fox nervously. "I - how did it drop dead, just like that? It seems impossible to me, I hardly even scratched it. It just... fell. And it's dead, I know it..."

"It must've been an act of StarClan," whispered Wrensong, twining her tail around Hawkstrike's. He pressed his flank against Wrensong, and Wrensong sighed. "Let's pretend nothing happened," She murmured. "I don't want you to be fussed over by Foxfur for the rest of the quarter-moon."

"Okay," meowed Hawkstrike, brushing her back with his tail as they entered camp. The cats were already gathered, but the kits weren't in the crowd; thankfully, the ceremony hadn't started yet. Luckily, him and Wrensong were already groomed from sharing tongues, but the fox incident had ruffled Hawkstrike's fur a bit. Right as they settled down, Rowanstar sprung onto the Hightree and the ceremony began. Cloverkit, Redkit, and Darkkit were gathered at the front, looking apprehensive but excited. Wrensong hoped she got Cloverkit.

Rowanstar called out to ShadowClan, signaling for them to be quiet. "We are gathered here to apprentice three kits!" announced Rowanstar. "This shows that ShadowClan continues to stay strong, even when we are faced with threats from all sides!" He paused to allow the Clan to cheer, and continued. "Darkkit, step forward."

Darkkit obeyed. His amber eyes were huge, and he was shaking a bit. "Darkkit, you have reached the age of six moons, and it is time for you to be apprenticed. From this day on, until you receive your warrior name, you will be known as Darkpaw. Your mentor will be Hawkstrike." Wrensong could hear Hawkstrike mutter a "yes!" beside her. "I hope Hawkstrike will pass down all he knows on to you." Rowanstar turned to Hawkstrike, who held his head high. "Hawkstrike, you are ready to take on an apprentice. You had received excellent training from Ferretclaw, and you have shown yourself to be strong and brave. You will be the mentor of Darkpaw, and I expect you to pass on all you know to Darkpaw." Hawkstrike left Wrensong's side and padded towards Darkpaw, lightly touching his nose. Hawkstrike and Darkpaw retired to the edge of the clearing.

"Redkit, step forward," called Rowanstar. The arrogant apprentice stepped forward, his head high in the air and his chest puffed out. "Redkit, you have reached the age of six moons, and it is time for you to be apprenticed. From this day on, until you receive your warrior name, you will be known as Redpaw. Your mentor will be Wrensong." Wrensong almost gasped aloud; she never thought she would get this arrogant apprentice! She glared up at Rowanstar, who lightly shook his head at her, signaling for her to shutup and stop. Wrensong was fuming; why would Rowanstar ever give her an annoying apprentice like Redpaw?

"Wrensong, you are ready to take on an apprentice. You had received excellent training from Falconwing - " Wrensong's insides burned at Falconwing's name, "... and you have shown yourself to be intelligent and swift. You will be the mentor of Redpaw, and I expect you to pass on all you know to Redpaw." Sucking up her anger, Wrensong approached Redpaw and touched noses with him. The apprentice looked defiant, which enraged Wrensong even more. She sat next to Hawkstrike, who gave her a sympathetic glance.

Cloverkit, or, Cloverpaw, now, was apprenticed to Scorchfur, and then the ceremony ended. The ShadowClan cats cheered, "Cloverpaw! Redpaw! Darkpaw!" And the apprentices were surrounded by the Clan, all mewing their congratulations. Once every cat had congratulated the apprentices, Scorchfur flicked his tail.

"I'm going to teach Cloverpaw about the duties," He meowed. Cloverpaw looked energetic; Wrensong knew if she ever asked Redpaw to do that, he'd throw a fit. "I understand you two have the sunset hunting patrol. Get it to it, then; maybe you can get the apprentices started on some hunting techniques."

Hawkstrike and Wrensong obeyed the older warrior, and took their apprentices out to the forest. Once they were in the forest, Redpaw turned on Wrensong. "Why did Rowanstar give me a _halfClan _cat?" He spat, the fur on his neck bristling. "Did he think I didn't deserve to be taught by a pureblood warrior?"

Hawkstrike stepped in front of Wrensong. Wrensong was furious; did Hawkstrike think she couldn't fight her own battles? She was capable enough of doing so. "Listen, punk, don't talk to Wrensong like that, alright? She's one of the best fighters in the Clan; she can even beat me! Blood doesn't matter, you arrogant little prick; you hear? She's gotten enough foxdung from her blood, and she doesn't need a snarky little apprentice telling her what to do!"

Redpaw's expression was shocked. He looked up at Wrensong sheepishly. "I-I'm sorry," He stammered. His blue eyes grew wide. "But you're one of the best fighters? I'm the best apprentice. I can beat my siblings. Maybe I'll take you on one day." He puffed out his chest, and Wrensong rolled her eyes.

"Just shut up before you get punched," She snarled; angry at Redpaw for being a typical, judgmental ShadowClan warrior and at Hawkstrike for trying to stick up for her. "Let's get this hunting patrol over with."

The ShadowClan cats had hunted until the moon was about to rise. Wrensong looked at the moon apprehensively; she wanted to visit Breezepelt already. He would understand she was strong enough to fight her own battles, but if she needed help, he would make the apprentice give Wrensong respect... She imagined his dark pelt next to hers and shivered. She wanted him so badly right now.

Redpaw had almost caught a mouse; Wrensong didn't like to admit it, but the apprentice was good at hunting. Darkpaw was alright, but he seemed really self-conscious; but Hawkstrike was working on getting him out of his shell. The apprentices went to sleep and Wrensong turned around to go out into the forest when she bumped into Hawkstrike. "We need to talk," He growled, leading her into the forest.

"What's up?" Hawkstrike meowed, an edge of menace to his voice. "Why are you mad at me?"

"You're so _protective _over me," Wrensong growled bluntly. "I-I don't know. Just don't try to fight my battles, okay? I can do things on my own, I don't need your help."

"I'm doing it out of _love_," whispered Hawkstrike. "I love you, Wrensong. And I don't think you feel the same."

"Look, I don't know right now," Wrensong turned her back on Hawkstrike. "I just have a lot going on, okay? I need some time to think."

"Tell me," Hawkstrike begged, murmuring in her ear and attempting to twine Wrensong's tail with his own, but Wrensong shook it off. "Tell me everything that's wrong and I'll fix it."

"Hawkstrike," Wrensong growled. "Just leave me alone for one second, okay? You're so clingy. Just give me some space, for like, one second." She glanced back at Hawkstrike and saw hurt shining in his amber eyes.

"Fine," He snarled. "I get it. You don't want me. Was it all a joke, this afternoon?"

"No," Wrensong mewed, turning back to him. "It wasn't. I just need some space tonight."

"Whatever, Wrensong," spat Hawkstrike. "Go get lost in the forest and go back to ThunderClan! I don't care! Have some time to _think_." As he stalked away, he hissed, "HalfClan!"

Wrensong felt her heart drop and her insides freeze. Did Hawkstrike really say that? No... she didn't mean any of it. She was just a little upset... she didn't think Hawkstrike would truly feel that way...

Before she knew what she was doing, she found herself stumbling into the tunnel and into the Cross. Breezepelt was waiting there, and his ears pricked when he saw Wrensong in this state. Wrensong collapsed on him, sobbing. "Wrensong?" He murmured, lightly stroking his face with her tail. "Wrensong, what's wrong?"

"He broke me," Wrensong choked. "He told me he loved me, and I didn't love him back... so he... he called me... halfClan..." She buried her nose into Breezepelt's shoulder. She could almost feel the anger radiating off of Breezepelt as he snarled; Wrensong could feel the vibrations from his chest.

"Who? Who called you this?" He growled. "I'll shred them! I'll rip their fur to bits!"

"Hawkstrike," gasped Wrensong. "H-he wanted to mate with me, I-I told him I wasn't ready because I love _you_, Breezepelt. Hawkstrike is - was - my friend, but I love you. I-I couldn't tell him I loved him when I only felt good friendship, so I d-didn't answer, and h-he called me that word..."

Breezepelt held her close, purring. The vibrations running through his chest comforted Wrensong. "I love you, Wrensong," He murmured into her ear. "I love you so much. Even if you didn't love me back, I would never call you that because I will and always will love you; I can't bear to see you like this. You are the only she-cat I have ever loved. Please know how special you are to me... even if we aren't in the same Clan... just know that I love you."

Wrensong purred despite the sobs that were wracking her body. "B-Breezepelt?" She asked. "I-I know I sound weak, but I don't think I can go to my Clan tonight. I can't face Hawkstrike tonight... can you stay with me tonight?"

"Wrensong, I will stay with you forever," He whispered, licking her ear.

* * *

**AN: Breezepelt seems like a completely different cat, right? That's how I imagine him when he loves someone~ /cheesy**

**Wow, thanks guys for the lots of reviews! Warmed my heart to come home with 6 :) Thanks so much! I'll answer your questions below... (btw, feel free to ask anything you're confused about in your review! I'll always answer!)**

* * *

**ReaderofFanfic: Yes, kind of made about Freezestar :) When you get to this point you'll see that the prophecy builds on itself the more the StarClan cats learn about it :)**

**LoverofWarriors: Jayfeather isn't dead, I just haven't mentioned him often because Leafstorm (my ThunderClan POV) isn't very close to him, my bad ^^; & Honeypaw, Leafstorm, Wrensong etc are all related distantly (through Firestar), but since their parents Dovewing & Lionblaze were in the prophecy, the cats refer to them as cousins even though they aren't that closely related. :) Sorry if I made that confusing. And I haven't revealed Stoneheart's power (he's hinted it, but it hasn't fully developed yet), but I will in the next few chapters! Stay tuned! :)**

**Keep reviewing, guys! :)**


	19. S e v e n t e e n

**The Legacy of the Three: Chapter Seventeen**

_Leafstorm ._

"I love you," He whispered into the she-cat's fur. She stroked her tail along his back and flank; beginning to softly lick his neck. Then, she moved to his ears, his forehead, and finally, gave him a rasping lick on his cheek. Leafstorm shuddered, overcome and blinded by pure bliss. He entwined his hair around hers and murmured, "I know it's so wrong, but under the stars with you, it feels so right."

Her fur glowed in the moonlight; causing her already-silver fur to turn a beautiful shade of silvery-white. Her green eyes, the color of the grass, laid on him. Slowly, she stroked her tail down his belly; causing him to shiver. "I wish you could move to my Clan," She whispered. "But I know you could never live without the trees above you, but I could never live without the open moors and the sky above me."

Leafstorm leaned into her, rolling her over on her belly so he laid on top of her. "Grassfeather," He purred into her ear. "I love your name so much. It fits you; your eyes are as beautiful as the whispering grass on the rolling moors, and your fur is as soft as a feather."

"Your name fits you as well," She breathed softly, looking into his amber eyes. "Your pelt is the color of the autumn leaves, dappled on the forest floor, and you are like a storm; fierce to some, but to others, you can blow them away." Leafstorm laughed, he loved Grassfeather so much. She was so poetic and so beautiful... no ThunderClan she-cat was like her. He only wished she lived in ThunderClan; although he loved Grassfeather, he felt guilty sneaking to WindClan territory and lying with her every night.

They were laying in the moors, watching the stars. The breeze was chilly; but there were curled up together, so Leafstorm didn't mind. As long as he was with Grassfeather. "Have you ever loved any cat before me?" Leafstorm asked out of curiosity. He knew she had a thing with Hawkpaw, but he didn't know the details.

"I liked him, but I didn't love him," murmured Grassfeather. Leafstorm rolled off of her and allowed Grassfeather to rest his head on his massive shoulder and twine her tail with his. "Hawkpaw. He was kind of clingy, though, and it was tough to meet him. We had a short fling, we only mated once."

Leafstorm glanced over at her in confusion. "Y-you've mated, before?" His ears burned in shame; he hadn't mated with any she-cat's yet. He was always concentrated on becoming a great warrior, not getting she-cats. Toms like Firepaw and Flamepaw were into that, but not Leafstorm.

"Yes," meowed Grassfeather. "I-it wasn't anything, really, more experimental than anything, although he said he had practiced with Wrenpaw or something." Grassfeather shrugged. "He wasn't very good, he told me he loved me, but I think he used me for mating even though he already mated with Wrenpaw. He probably used me to say he mated with a WindClan she-cat." She turned to him, her green eyes curious. "Have you ever loved any cat before me?"

"No," admitted Leafstorm sheepishly. "I was always more concentrated on becoming a warrior more than anything, to be honest... I wasn't really interested in mating and all of the other things my friends were. I want to be leader of ThunderClan, so when I was an apprentice I didn't really care about mating."

Grassfeather's tail stroked his stomach and trailed down too far for Leafstorm's comfort. "Well, maybe we can change that..." She purred seductively, looking at Leafstorm with those gorgeous green eyes... _Shake out of it, Leafstorm. You can't mate with a WindClan she-cat yet! What if she becomes a mother, and tells the Clan who her father is? You'll never become a warrior. _"I-I don't want to be a father just yet," He mewed, pushing Grassfeather's tail away; it was too low for his liking. "Plus, we're right by your camp. I don't want to be caught mating in the middle of your territory."

Grassfeather rolled her eyes, flicking her tail softly on his muzzle. "I know you too well, Leafstorm... you're not afraid of WindClan cats hearing us; you're afraid it will cripple your path to leadership if I have kits and the Clan finds out who fathers them, and you think that you'll hurt me in the process of mating." She began to stroke her tail on his stomach this time, and Leafstorm didn't stop her. "Look, you might not know this, but cats from all Clans mate with each other all the time. Seriously, what do you think happens at Gatherings? You can be naive, Leafstorm, no offense."

Leafstorm smiled meekly. Grassfeather's tail strokes were getting lower and lower. "I don't want to hurt you," He admitted. "And what if your Clan finds out who the father is?"

"I won't blame it on you," Grassfeather mewed. "I won't even tell who the father is _if _I have kits, which is unlikely. She-cats don't have to tell who the father is. Plus, it won't hurt. In the beginning it does, but that doesn't matter. We're mates, right?" Leafstorm nodded. "Then you have to do this to seal us as one. It's called _mate_-ing for a reason."

"Alright..." Leafstorm agreed, still uncertain but smiling despite himself. Firepaw and Flamepaw couldn't make fun of him anymore after tonight.

* * *

Leafstorm arrived in ThunderClan the next morning, three mice dangling from his jaws. He had washed off Grassfeather's scent at the stream; rolling in ThunderClan scent just in case, and hunted a few mice to explain his absence. Hunting was easier for him now that he could control his power.

He felt extremely guilty from last night. He knew he did the wrong thing; mating with a WindClan she-cat, no matter how much he loved her, was wrong. Now, Leafstorm was beginning to worry; what happens if she has kits? What if one looks like me? he had an unmistakable and unique pelt, so if a kit looked like him, any cat looking at it would know who the father was.

_Maybe I should break up with Grassfeather... _One side of his brain argued. The other protested, _But she's the only she-cat I've ever loved, and probably will love. There's no she-cats in ThunderClan like Grassfeather... and she obviously cares about you, since she skipped out on her vigil to see you..._

Grassfeather told Leafstorm that Rockfang had fallen asleep during watch, and if she was caught, Grassfeather could say that she saw a ThunderClan intruder. That's why she smelled like ThunderClan, because she chased the intruder off. Leafstorm could only hope that Grassfeather didn't get caught... he knew that if he was caught mating and loving a WindClan she-cat, he would never have a shot at being leader or deputy, ever.

He saw Jayfeather, his uncle, approaching him. "I need to talk to you," The tom meowed curtly, jerking his head towards the forest. Leafstorm was taken aback, he hardly even _knew_ Jayfeather, even though they were kin. What in StarClan did the medicine cat need to talk to him about?

Then, a realization hit Leafstorm: Jayfeather could read memories and feelings. He probably felt Leafstorm's guilt from a mile away and read Leafstorm's memories... _Ew! Did he see Grassfeather and I... mating? Or even talking to each other? That's so repulsive and perverted that he would even look at that!_

Once they were deep in the forest, Jayfeather turned to Leafstorm. "I know what you've been doing," He meowed evenly. "You're like your father, Lionblaze, sneaking off with WindClan she-cats. It's so obvious, any cat could smell it."

Leafstorm's jaw dropped. "My father - "

"Shut up. I'm not here to talk about that," growled Jayfeather. "Normally I wouldn't care, get in trouble, see if I give a foxdung; but I received a dream last night telling me how you had an important destiny of some sort: a secret power. Obviously, this prophecy has nothing to do with me, but I'm warning you about something." He cleared his throat, and sadness seemed to flicker over the blind tom's eyes. "No matter what you do, StarClan will bring you away from that she-cat. They did it to Lionblaze and I. Our destiny cannot be tarnished by taking a mate outside of our Clan, I guess. Something stupid like that. Anyway, I'm just warning you; break up with her now, or feel StarClan's wrath."

"W-what do you mean?" Leafstorm stammered. "A-are they going to break us up? Or kill Grassfeather?"

"No," replied Jayfeather. "They cannot interfere like that. However, they will plague you with guilt. They will grant you a position where you emotionally cannot have a mate; they will indirectly do _something_ that will ruin the relationship. I'm just trying to warn you."

"B-but I love Grassfeather!" yowled Leafstorm angrily. "Why can't I love her? Why do I have to be a part of some destiny? I'd give up my powers to be with her!"

"You don't have a _choice_," Jayfeather snarled. "You don't think that Dovewing, Lionblaze and I loved cats that we weren't allowed to? StarClan, I loved a _dead _cat, but StarClan steered me away from her, too! Just ask Lionblaze about Heathertail, or Dovewing about Tigerheart! They'll all tell you the same thing: destiny got in the way of their relationship. So just end it while you can." He lashed his tail angrily and stalked away back to ThunderClan.

_StarClan, what is that cat's _problem_? _thought Leafstorm, flaring his nostrils at the medicine cat. He was contemplating ending things already, but Leafstorm didn't like being bossed around. In fact, he was starting to like the idea of breaking up with Grassfeather even left. They were in love, and not even StarClan could stop that.

"Hey, Leafstorm!" His sister's voice crowed behind him. Honeypaw was smiling giddily at him. "I was just assessed!" She yelped happily. _Oh, mousedung, I forgot she was getting assessed at dawn. Good thing I wasn't caught going over the WindClan border!_ "And Bramblestar and Squirrelflight think I'm ready to become a warrior! Come on, they're holding my ceremony now!" Honeypaw and Leafstorm had steadily started to get along better now; they were both maturing and realized how dumb their previous mischief had been. Leafstorm liked this new relationship he was having with his sister.

He dashed back to camp with her, helping her groom herself as Bramblestar called the Clan together. "I like that we're maturing," Honeypaw mewed, reflecting his thoughts. "I hope with me being a warrior we can forget us embarrassing each other. I already told Bluestrike you didn't like her, so I hope..."

Leafstorm cut her off. "That's fine, I don't care," He mewed happily. "I didn't really care what she thought, anyway. It's not like cats really like her. Anyway, it's your warriors ceremony! Go to the center!" He nudged her to the center, and by now, ThunderClan had all gathered around Honeypaw and Bramblestar. It was almost sunhigh, so the whole Clan was already awake.

Bramblestar yowled for the Clan to be quiet, and they hushed when they realized the ceremony was starting. "I, Bramblestar, leader of ThunderClan, call upon my warrior ancestors to look down on this apprentice." Every cat's gaze turned towards Honeypaw. "She has trained hard to understand the ways of your noble code, and I commend her to you as a warrior in her turn." Bramblestar's amber gaze settled on Honeypaw.

"Honeypaw, do you promise to uphold the warrior code and to protect and defend your Clan, even at the cost of your life?" He boomed from the top of the Highledge.

Honeypaw had a spark of her old arrogance in her eyes as she lifted her head cockily and smoothly mewed, "I do."

"Then by the powers of StarClan, I give you your warrior name." Bramblestar proclaimed. "Honeypaw, from this moment you will be known as Honeytail. StarClan honors your enthusiasm and honesty, and we welcome you as a full warrior of ThunderClan."

Leafstorm led the cheer. "Honeytail! Honeytail! Honeytail!" The Clan pressed around Honeytail, meowing their congratulations. Leafstorm, Lionblaze and Cinderheart were the last.

"I'm glad you and your brother are finally starting to get along," purred Cinderheart, warmly congratulating her daughter.

"You both seemed to have accepted each other's arrogance," smiled Lionblaze, affectionately flicking his son's and his daughter's ears.

"I'll be sure to bother her when she's on her vigil tonight," Leafstorm mewed wryly, congratulating his sister. Actually, he would be visiting Grassfeather, but that wasn't the point.

Honeytail flicked her tail; she was known for having this habit, and Leafstorm presumed Bramblestar's choice of name for the golden tabby had to do with her ever-twitching tail. "I'll just be ignoring you," She mewed, giving Leafstorm a face. Leafstorm returned this.

Suddenly, Leafpool burst through the entrance, her head whirling around. "Where is Bramblestar?" She asked wildly. "There is a rogue claiming to be leader of RiverClan on our land!" Lionblaze unsheathed his claws, narrowing his eyes. "I'm going to see what this is about," He growled as he bounded out of the entrance. Honeytail and Cinderheart soon followed suit, but Leafstorm didn't see what the big deal was. It was a dumb rogue, so what?

Bramblestar leaped down from the Highledge, accompanied by Squirrelflight. "Leafpool, what's going on?" Bramblestar asked. "What about a RiverClan rogue on our territory?"

"Not a RiverClan rogue," Leafpool meowed. "His name is Freezestar, and he tells me that he's the appointed leader of RiverClan; that StarClan sent the Clan a sign that he was to be leader or something... I think something's off. He smelled like RiverClan, though, which was strange."

Bramblestar, Squirrelflight and Leafpool began to murmur in hushed voices as a faded gray tom with the iciest blue eyes Leafstorm had ever seen padded confidently with a tom that Leafstorm recognized. _Stoneheart! What's he doing with that rogue? _Leafstorm wondered. He nodded politely to Stoneheart when they locked eyes, but Stoneheart just looked at him coolly. The warrior looked much bigger, yet emotionless; the opposite of when Leafstorm had last seen him.

"Who are you, and why are you in ThunderClan land?" Bramblestar didn't hesitate to question this so-called, 'Freezestar' as he entered the camp. Upon hearing this accusation, the ThunderClan cats came out from their dens to see what was going on.

"My name is Freezestar," Freezestar mewed levelly, his icy blue eyes taking in the camp. His voice was high; it was strange coming from such a big cat. "I was originally a rogue at RiverClan, but Mistystar and Reedwhisker were killed when foxes attacked. StarClan sent a sign declaring me as the new leader, and I received nine lives from them. So, I am now the leader of RiverClan." He flicked his tail to Stoneheart. "And this is Mistystar's son, Stoneheart. He is my deputy."

Bramblestar's amber eyes shone with suspicion. Leafstorm heard Dustpelt yowl from the back of the crowd, "What StarClan cat would ever give a rogue like you nine lives?"

"It wasn't my decision," Freezestar mewed calmly. "I am simply listening to the voices of my trusted ancestors. I have come here to let you know I am leader; not to hear judgment from your Clanmates. I will be leaving now."

"My cats aren't used to a... um, outsider, being a leader of their Clan," Bramblestar muttered, glaring at Dustpelt, who meekly shrugged.

"Firestar was a kittypet," Stoneheart rumbled. "So your statement is invalid."

Bramblestar looked uncomfortable; he wasn't usually this spacey, Leafstorm knew, but he had trouble trusting the new leader of RiverClan. Bramblestar could see it in his eyes. "Uh, alright, then. If StarClan choose you, then I'll respect that. May StarClan light your, uh, path."

As Freezestar was beginning to leave, Leafstorm made his way over to Stoneheart. "Hey," He meowed. "How've you been? You haven't been coming to the Cross lately, and neither has your sister. What's up?" He didn't mention the fact that Stoneheart had been an apprentice a halfmoon ago, and the fact that he hadn't had an apprentice. Something about this predicament was incredibly suspicious to Leafstorm.

"We're fine," Stoneheart mewed curtly, his eyes cold like Freezestar's. "We are busy. We don't have time to be disloyal to our Clan and meet in the Cross. There will be a new era for RiverClan, and I would like to be a part of it."

_This isn't the Stonepaw I knew; the optimistic, cheery fellow... what happened? _"Uh, alright," Leafstorm mewed. "You, uh, have fun with that, then. If you ever want to meet us... we're all meeting at the quarter-full moon."

"I won't be taking part," growled Stoneheart. "If you'll excuse me, I have to go back to my Clan."

_Something's definitely going on, _Leafstorm thought grimly as the RiverClan cats left. _And I'm going to be the cat that gets to the bottom of it._

* * *

**AN: Yayy more WindxThunder love~ ps, can you feel history repeating itself already? ;)**

**Also, I know that it has been said before the Freezestar "went to ThunderClan". But do you really believe that? ;)**

**Review? :)**


	20. E i g h t e e n

**The Legacy of the Three: Chapter Eighteen**

_Wrensong ._

_They were in the caves above the Cross together, curled up. Breezepelt let her sob to him for most of the night; she told him of her struggles in her Clan, how no cat would accept her, and how Rowanstar had given her the most difficult apprentice who had spat at her the moment she stepped foot in the forest. He understood all of it, and comforted her. He brought her to a place where there was an opening in the cave; it was by WindClan territory, so they had a beautiful view of the stars._

_"Tell me about yourself," Wrensong had murmured in his ear. "I know nothing about you; you only listen to me complain. So let me know about you. Have you ever loved any cat besides me?"_

_"Never," He breathed softly, stroking his tail down her belly. "I've only mated with Heathertail... but it was bad. We didn't love each other, so it was more forced. I don't count it..." Breezepelt looked over at Wrensong. "How about you?"_

_"It was an accident," whispered Wrensong. "Hawkpaw took advantage of me."_

_"How about we don't count either of those times, and put them in the back of our mind?" mewed Breezepelt softly. He leaned into Wrensong and mewed, "I need to ask you something."_

_"Yes?" Wrensong asked._

_"Will you be my mate?" whispered Breezepelt, twining his tail with hers. "I promise to never call you halfClan or hurt you ever... even if you don't agree. I'll understand."_

_"Of course I will, mousebrain," She laughed, resting her head on his chest. His heart was beating fast. "How about we erase those bad memories of our old mates... matings, and replace them with a new one?" She mewed. "A one where we actually love each other."_

_Breezepelt's breath was soft on Wrensong's ear. "I like the way you think," He murmured cheekily._

* * *

On the way back to camp, Wrensong couldn't help but replay their night in her head. She was supposed to be mates with two toms... but she had fallen out with Hawkstrike. Plus, she had already sealed her and Breezepelt being mates last night by mating with him. She hadn't done that with Hawkstrike... well, when they were mates, at least.

Breezepelt had waken her up at dawn and told her it was time to get back to camp. "I'll see you in two nights," He had murmured, stroking her cheek with his tail. "I'm going to be busy tonight, I have guard duty."

Wrensong had been sad that she couldn't see Breezepelt that night, but she understood. She needed a night back at ShadowClan, anyway, she hadn't had a full night of sleep there since she was an apprentice. Wrensong had simply been so busy with Breezepelt and Hawkflight.

Wrensong had already bathed Breezepelt's scent off of her in the stream and caught two mice when she returned from camp. Hawkstrike was waiting quietly beside the freshkill pile as Wrensong dropped off her prey.

"Hey - " He began. "Look, Wrensong - "

"I can't believe you even have the _nerve_ to talk to me after last night," She spat at him after dropping her mice. "And forget the fact that we're mates. I don't want to be mates with you, let alone look at you. I thought we were friends, or something more, but you destroyed that." She turned away, stalking to the apprentice's den to wake up Redpaw.

Hawkstrike chased after her, cornering her at the edge of the camp. "I said I was _sorry_," He growled menacingly. "Are you going to forget all of the memories we had? Over some stupid word? We were _mates_, Wrensong, you can't take that away! We even mated before! Are you going to forget all of that?"

"Actually, yes," retorted Wrensong. "You were _using_ me when we mated, anyway. It was an _accident_. I still would've considered it that even if I still actually loved you, which I don't anymore. Just leave me alone, Hawkstrike, okay? I want to go out and train Redpaw and get my mind off of you."

Real hurt shone in Hawkstrike's eyes as he backed away from Wrensong. "But I love you," He whispered. "And I thought you felt the same way for me. How can I make you love me again?"

"I don't know," admitted Wrensong. "To be honest, I don't really trust you anymore. You called me halfClan. I just feel so betrayed by you, Hawkstrike. I don't know what you really want."

"You!" Hawkstrike meowed desperately. "_You_. I-I was just so mad when I called you halfClan, I'm so sorry. I thought you'd want me back. That you realized how you can't live without me."

"I don't know," repeated Wrensong. "I just need some time away from you. You really hurt me, Hawkstrike, and it'll take awhile to rebuild my trust. The more space you give me, maybe the more I'll miss you." After saying that, she turned away, her tail trailing in the dirt. She was sad about breaking it off with Hawkstrike, but Wrensong knew it would be better for her and Breezepelt's relationship in the long run.

She approached the apprentice's den, a bramble thicket, and ducked her head in. Darkpaw and Redpaw were asleep, but Cloverpaw was gone. Wrensong guessed that Scorchfur was touring her around the territory. Wrensong planned to do that with Redpaw today. She nudged the dark ginger tabby softly until he woke up. Surprise shone in his blue eyes.

"Time to get up," growled Wrensong. She was still mad at her apprentice for the way he treated her last night. He needed to learn how to respect his elders, immediately. "I'm going to take you on a tour of the territory."

Redpaw looked up at her groggily, but managed to climb out of his nest. Wrensong turned around and padded into the camp, Redpaw following behind her. "Hey, Wrensong," His cocky voice called to her. Wrensong turned around, the fur around her tail beginning to bristle. What did the annoying apprentice want now? "What?" She asked sharply.

"I'm sorry," He muttered. Wrensong could tell it was hurting the apprentice's big ego to apologize to her; but she could detect a note of sincerity in his voice. "I-I'm sorry for calling you halfClan. And making fun of you. Rowanstar had a big talk to me about it after, and I realized how o-obnoxious and rude it was to say that. Can we start over?"

Wrensong couldn't forgive Hawkstrike, but she could forgive Redpaw. "Yeah," She meowed. "Just... don't judge cats, okay? I know I'm halfClan, but I'll never betray my Clanmates and go over to ThunderClan. I know you might not believe that, but I honestly don't care what cats think of me anymore."

Redpaw was silent for a moment. "I won't judge cats," He promised. "And I do believe you, I really do. I thought about it a lot; and how Rowanstar told me I needed an attitude adjustment. I-I never thought my leader would tell me that." He paused for a moment. "And I really care what you think about me, because I'm your apprentice. So... I hope we can start fresh."

Wrensong purred and flicked the apprentice's ear gently with her tail. "I told you, you're forgiven," She meowed. "Now, let's go and tour the territory. Isn't that what you want?" The dark ginger apprentice nodded eagerly, bounding in front of her.

"I bet I can beat you to the ThunderClan border!" He yowled as they emerged into the forest.

Wrensong snorted. "You don't even know where you're _going_. Plus, I'm one of the fastest cats in ShadowClan; if not _the_ fastest cat in ShadowClan. I could beat you blindfolded." Although Redpaw's arrogance got on her nerves, she was glad that he seemed to be acting like himself. For a moment, she thought Rowanstar or even Hawkstrike had forced him to apologize.

Redpaw rolled his eyes. "Yeah, and you say _I'm _arrogant. Okay."

"Let's get on with this tour," grunted Wrensong, weaving in between trees and jumping over roots and fallen logs. Eventually, the ThunderClan scent grew strong as they emerged into the clearing. Wrensong heard Redpaw mutter a distinct, "yuck!" and she could imagine the apprentice covering his nose.

"How could you live in ThunderClan?" He gasped. "They _smell!_ I'm sorry you're related to them."

Wrensong shrugged. "Yeah, they smell terrible, don't they?" She padded up to the border and taught Redpaw how to spray the border. "It's pretty simple; you just spray it like that. Go ahead and try."

"Alright," Redpaw mewed, approaching a tree and spraying it. He sprayed the rest of the border before turning to Wrensong. "Now all of ThunderClan will smell me. And fear when they smell me."

"No ThunderClan cat even knows who you _are_," pointed out Wrensong. "You've recently become an apprentice. Anyway, I'll go over ThunderClan's battle tactics later, but I'll tell you a bit about them..."_  
_

The rest of the day, Redpaw wasn't as arrogant as before. Wrensong was perplexed at the sudden change but glad that he wasn't such a nuisance anymore. Training Redpaw might even be better than she thought.

* * *

Wrensong was sharing freshkill with her father in the camp. Around her, it was a quiet and calm night. Ferretclaw and Pinenose were sharing tongues while their kits play-fought by the apprentice's den. The senior warriors; Toadfoot, Applefur, Crowfrost and Ratscar were huddled by a hanging pine, and Snowbird was gossiping to Olivenose. Wrensong felt a pang in her chest when she saw the two she-cats staring at her, shaking their heads sadly.

"What's up?" Tigerheart asked, noticing how Wrensong's fur was beginning to ruffle.

"I - it's about Hawkstrike," Wrensong confessed. "I can see Olivenose and Snowbird talking about it. I broke it off with him because he called me halfClan."

Tigerheart's eyes narrowed, and he let out a soft growl. "No tom should treat you like that," He snarled softly, his tail lashing. "No cat should, period."

Wrensong shrugged. "I also have to tell you something else," His father had experience with CrossClan relationships, and Wrensong wanted his advice. "I-I've been meeting with a WindClan tom," She admitted. "I really love him, though, and I don't know what to do. You know how I want to be leader, but how am I supposed to do that if cats find out about this?"

Tigerheart closed his eyes and sighed softly. "I felt the same way about your mother," He whispered. "I wanted to be deputy so badly, yet I loved her. It's not much of a problem for me, though. Or any cat, really. HalfClan births happen all the time, yet yours was important because you're a daughter of one of the Three. And I know I can't do anything to sway your mind about this tom, so I'm just advising you to be careful. It-it's going to end badly, that's all I'm going to say."

"What if I have kits?" She blurted out suddenly. Wrensong had secretly been nervous from two nights ago that she would bore Breezepelt's kits because they had mated. She kept trying to remind herself that her and Hawkstrike hadn't had kits when they mated, but Hawkstrike was an apprentice at the time. "I-I haven't done anything with him," She said quickly at her father's bewildered expression. "But just a 'what if', you know?"

"Don't let that happen," Tigerheart mewed sharply. "It'll cause even more pain. I'm not going to restrict you from seeing whatever WindClan tom you're seeing, but I put my paw down at kits."

Wrensong looked down nervously. "A-alright," She stammered, biting into her prey again, fighting the fear that wracked her body.

* * *

"That's what he said?"

They were lying together in their secret meeting spot in the tunnels, with the crystal-clear water. They were off to the side so the water wouldn't touch them. Breezepelt was lightly stroking his tail down Wrensong's spine, all the way until he reached her tail. He would tease her by almost entwining their tails, then dart his tail away and stroke her spine again. Finally, Wrensong snatched his tail with her own and entwined it with hers. Breezepelt purred.

"Yeah," She mewed sadly. "I-I mean, that's not going to stop me - us, of course. I want to have kits with you, Breezepelt, I really do. I want to have them young, so I can get back to my warrior duties as soon as possible."

"So much ambition," He murmured. "Maybe we'll be leaders together. Onestar's bound to die soon, and my father's going to take his place, probably. I mean, Crowfeather doesn't like me, but maybe he'll pick me. Since we'll both be leaders, we could be mates and no cats would protest."

"I thought your father was going to retire soon," Wrensong mewed, licking down a stray piece of fur on his forehead that had been bothering her. "Surely he won't want to die of old age nine times over as leader?"

"I think he is," Breezepelt looked thoughtful. "I'm not sure if Onestar would pick me as deputy, though."

Wrensong tilted her head. "I thought you were clever," She purred. As a joke, she mewed, "Maybe you should make your own omen and send it to Onestar."

Breezepelt's warm amber eyes lit up. He licked her swiftly on the nose. "You're a genius, Wrensong!" He crowed. His eyes shone with brilliance and excitement. "Wow, you - you're amazing," He murmured. "That's perfect! And I know how I'll do it, too! Finally! I'll have my ambition; to be the leader of WindClan! Why didn't I think of that before?"

_Oh, StarClan..._ Wrensong looked nervously at the over-excited tom. _I hope you know I was joking... _"Yeah," She rolled her eyes. "Who would be your deputy?" As the crisp leaf-fall wind breezed through the hole at the top of the cave, Wrensong snuggled closer in to Breezepelt, who purred and began to lightly stroke her belly with his soft tail.

"I'm not sure," He laughed. "Maybe if one of my kits was a warrior by that time. Perhaps Galepaw. Have you heard of him? He's the fastest cat I've ever seen."

That sounded suspicious to Wrensong. Didn't StarClan tell her there were three other cats in each Clan, each with a power like her own? Could Galepaw be a part of that? Wrensong decided that she would need to meet this kit by herself; perhaps at the next Gathering, which was tomorrow. "Really? And that's impressive coming from a WindClan cat," She mewed. "What are your other kits' names?"

"Well, I only have two," Breezepelt mewed. "I didn't get to name them. Heathertail did, but she named Galepaw after me because they're synonyms. Something like that. My other kit, Fogpaw, looks just like her mother, except she has a foggy, very faded white underbelly, muzzle, paw and tail. They both have their mother's eyes, although Galepaw's are a bit lighter."

"They sound beautiful," breathed Wrensong, genuinely. "I think we'd have beautiful kits. Maybe a little she-kit with your soft black fur and my eyes." She glanced up at him, and saw that his amber eyes looked hopeful and happy.

"Yeah," He whispered. "Or, maybe a tiny tomcat with your interesting pelt, but blue eyes like my father. Maybe I'd name him... hm, I'm not very sure," He admitted.

"Would he be fierce and cocky like his father?" joked Wrensong, "Or graceful and elegant like his mother?"

Breezepelt snorted. "Eh, he'd be like me. On the outside, fierce and arrogant; well, maybe not arrogant, but fierce and loyal, but when he loves somebody, he's a wreck. Just like me." He looked at her fondly. "You changed me, Wrensong, you really did. Without you... I don't know where I'd be."

Wrensong internally cocked her head. She had been changed by Breezepelt, of course; she now had a respect for WindClan cats. And his personality was starting to rub off on her; she had become more fierce to outsiders and a bit arrogant, she supposed. "What do you mean?" She asked softly.

"You rubbed off on me," laughed Breezepelt. "I never would have _dreamed _of one day becoming mates with a ShadowClan cat. When I first met you, at first I wanted you to go away. But I was struck by your fierce personality... and how you reached out to me when no one else did." He shrugged. "This is getting really soppy."

"Continue," murmured Wrensong.

He smiled down at her and lightly flicked her muzzle. "You like praise now, huh? I am starting to rub off on you, then," The WindClan warrior smiled and continued his tale. "Then, the next time I met you, I instantly fell for you. I don't know why, I just _did_. And I noticed how I began to change. I was still the same me with other cats, but I became nicer to my kits. I became more clever and intelligent. I was... like you. Then I realized that I was changing _for_ you. I wanted to have the same personality traits you had and valued about yourself: your smart-tongue, your intelligence, cleverness, and how you are relatively easy going." He sighed. "I-I don't know. And then, this happened. And I've been _so _happy. I haven't thought about getting revenge on my half-brothers. I haven't thought about wiping out ThunderClan when I was a leader. I'm not as grumpy," Breezepelt softly licked her forehead. "I love you, Wrensong. So much."

Wrensong tried to take all of this in. _How could such an incredible cat have these feelings for me? I-I don't deserve him. At least I broke up with Hawkstrike, or else I'd feel incredibly guilty... _"You didn't have to change for me, Breezepelt," She whispered, lightly twining her tail around his. "I-I admit I didn't really think about you romantically until our third meeting. You gave me a _rush_, and I loved it. I thought I had loved the risk and electric feeling that you gave me, but I realized that I loved you."

Breezepelt licked her cheek slowly, and Wrensong shuddered at his touch. "I love you," He whispered. Suddenly, she felt herself being pushed and the next thing she knew she had plunged under the water. Remembering Breezepelt's swimming lessons, Wrensong soon emerged at the surface, sputtering with rage. "W-what was that for?" She stammered, unable to keep herself from laughing.

Breezepelt was cracking up with 'mrrows' of laughter on shore. "It was getting too _soppy_," He snickered. "Soppy isn't our thing, Wrensong; you're a ShadowClan cat and I'm the fiercest warrior out there." The black tom puffed out his chest, closing his eyes. Wrensong leaped out of the water and pinned him down, holding his forepaws down with her forepaws and his hindpaws down with her hindpaws. "Ha! Who's fierce now?" She crowed.

"You might be the nimblest cat in ShadowClan," Breezepelt smiled cleverly, "But that's like saying you're the fastest snail. It means nothing compared to a WindClan cat!" Wrensong scrunched her nose, what Breezepelt said didn't really make a lot of sense, but before she knew it Breezepelt had darted from the ground and landed on top of her.

He grabbed onto her shoulders, lightly digging his claws in. His larger weight made her fall to the ground in a, 'huff!' of anger. When she fell, he still remained on her back. Using an old ShadowClan trick, Wrensong went limp in Breezepelt's carefully pricked yet sharp claws.

"Give up?" He crowed, releasing his weight and sheathing his claws. "Ha! I didn't think ShadowClan cats gave up so easily."

"You thought right!" Wrensong exclaimed, suddenly popping up and knocking Breezepelt off her shoulders, sending him flying into the water. He gasped in midair and landed with a splash. It was a few moments before he resurfaced, spitting out water and churning his paws in anger.

"I should've seen that coming!" He hissed angrily, but there was still a playful gleam in his amber eyes. "I'll get you back, Wrensong."

"Yeah?" Wrensong gloated, splashing him whenever he tried to get out. Suddenly, at the corner of her vision, she saw the starry figure of Blackstar shaking his head sadly. She stopped splashing and looked at him, appalled.

_"You're supposed to be one of the Four," He hissed angrily, getting onto his paws. "Not playing around with a WindClan traitor!"_

_Wrensong bared her teeth. "You're sending me ominous messages!" She snarled. "It's not my fault I have no idea what I'm looking for! It's my life, not StarClan's! Get away!"_

_"Don't speak to a former leader like that!" Blackstar rumbled dangerously. "Haven't you heard the hints about the other powerful ones? Tomorrow, hear the murmurings of the other cats. Who has a strange power in their Clan. Find the other Three and stop the plagues, or else they'll tear the Clans apart for good!"_

_"I thought you sent the plagues," growled Wrensong. "StarClan's the one that sent me the message. I thought it was for punishment."_

_"Why would we punish the Clans?" Blackstar rolled his eyes. "We sent you the message to warn you. The first plague is hitting WindClan now, and the second will hit ShadowClan very soon!" His eyes were wide. "I've already sent a message to Rowanstar about it. But it cannot be avoided." He disappeared, and Wrensong was thrown back into reality._

"Wrensong?" Breezepelt was calling her name. He was out of the water now and standing beside her. Her eyes focused on him, and he sighed in relief. "You alright? You zoned out for a bit."

"Yeah... fine," Wrensong mewed, distracted. Why was Blackstar putting so much pressure on her? How was she supposed to know who the other three were? And most importantly, what was the plague that could not be avoided?

* * *

**AN: Sorry updating has been slow, I'm working on a warriors art project & planning to reread all of the books, whew. I have a lot of time in the next few weeks though, so you'll see me updating like usual :)**

* * *

******IReadFanfic - Ah, sorry, I didn't mean for it to be gross! D: I just wanted to kind of set the stage that trouble comes with the she-cat Grassfeather(?) and how she really wants to have kits with Leafstorm. I would never explain the mating in detail lol, just suggestive~**

* * *

**I'm sorry to all of you Hawkstrike fans out there! D: He'll be back soon, don't worry~**

**Remember to review!**


	21. N i n e t e e n

**The Legacy of the Three: Chapter Nineteen**

_Stoneheart ._

_He was in a dark, dank forest. There were no stars in the sky, and a rank scent filled the young RiverClan warrior's nose. He followed the faded gray tom through the forest; over gnarled, ugly roots and stepping over poisonous mushrooms. Stoneheart looked around in dismay, what had he gotten himself into?_

_Freezestar and Stoneheart emerged into a clearing. Five Dark Forest cats were gathered in the clearing, eyeing Stoneheart suspiciously. A dark tabby seemed to be the head of them; his yellow eyes surveyed Stoneheart, his eyes alight with joy and surprise. "Freezestar!" He gasped, "You - your deputy!"_

_Freezestar's eyes looked confused, and Stoneheart felt the same way. Why was this evil cat so elated to have him in the Dark Forest? It had been a quarter-moon since Stoneheart had been made deputy, and he thankfully hadn't had to slay any cat. Streamfrost and the rest of his Clanmates didn't trust him, though. Stoneheart could only hope that they would soon realize he was on their side, not Freezestar's. _

_"Sorry, Darkstripe?" Freezestar asked the dark tabby. "Er, uh, Stoneheart killed Duskfur in the place of his sister. Is there something off about him?"_

_"No!" Darkstripe could hardly contain his excitement. "This is one of the Four I was telling you about! One of the ones with the special powers!" His gaze turned to Stoneheart. "You! You're Stonepaw - or, you probably have another name now - well, anyway; you're Mistystar's son, correct?"_

_Stoneheart made his emotions cold and nodded to Darkstripe; hoping he appeared powerful and dangerous. A million questions were running through his mind, but he didn't want to appear as a helpless kit; he figured if he appeared strong then Darkstripe would fill him in on more information._

_"Perfect," whispered Darkstripe. Stoneheart could see a million plans running through the dark tabby's head, and Stoneheart knew none of them were good. "Stonepaw - what's your name?"_

_"Stoneheart," Stoneheart rumbled._

_"Ah, yes, Stoneheart," Darkstripe murmured the name. "What is your power?"_

_Stoneheart blinked calmly. "I was not aware that I had any power as of late," He growled. The dark gray tom figured he was best off not lying to these cats so he could gain their trust. _

_Darkstripe narrowed his eyes. "You haven't?" His eyes looked hungry, as if he had just spotted a juicy mouse. In a lower tone, he murmured to himself, "Perfect... StarClan hasn't converted him, so he's ours." Darkstripe's head whipped up. "Stoneheart, how would you like being the greatest warrior in the Clans? Your Clanmates have lost faith in you because you killed Duskfur. Don't you want that back?"_

_Stoneheart nodded immediately._

_Darkstripe circled him and leaned dangerously close to Stoneheart's ear, but Stoneheart didn't budge. He stood rigid as Darkstripe brushed his tail along Stoneheart's powerful shoulders. The dark gray tom looked around and saw that he was the biggest cat here. "I can get you there," Darkstripe's breath was hot on Stoneheart's ear. "I can make you the most powerful warrior there ever was in the Clans. Yes... even more powerful than Tigerstar. Or Lionblaze."_

_Stoneheart, despite himself, felt himself flaring up. Even if he wasn't Freezestar's deputy and didn't have to obey these cats, the opportunity still would tempt him. "Really?" He whispered. _

_"Really," Darkstripe breathed, taking a step closer. "I can make you RiverClan's leader..." Stoneheart's ears pricked in interest. "Ah, you like that idea, don't you, Stoneheart?" The dark tabby snickered a bit. "I promise to get you there, Stoneheart... there is only one price..."_

_"What?" asked Stoneheart._

_"Listen to me," Darkstripe mewed simply. "That is all. Do not disobey." _

_"Darkstripe, will you be my mentor?" wondered Stoneheart, glancing around at the Dark Forest cats. They didn't look excited to be apprenticing Stoneheart, but they didn't argue. When they looked at Darkstripe, there was fear. Stoneheart was confused; whenever he heard stories about the great villans, Darkstripe was never mentioned. Why was he so feared?_

_"I'm not Darkstripe," mewed Darkstripe simply. _

_"Then what are you?" growled Stoneheart._

_Darkstripe stepped back, addressing both Stoneheart and Freezestar. "Darkstripe used to be himself," growled Darkstripe, "But he has been taken over. The Passed - where the faded Dark Forest and StarClan cats roam - has found enough energy to push one spirit into the spirit world, if that makes sense. They no longer have any energy to push any cats, though, so I took over Darkstripe. Neither of you know me, but my name is Mapleshade."_

_Stoneheart tried to process all of this. He knew StarClan spirits could die; but he didn't think they could come back. "A-alright..." He mewed. "I'm not sure what to call you, then, Darkstripe or Mapleshade?"_

_"I will transform into myself soon enough," murmured the transformed Darkstripe. "So you may call me Mapleshade. Darkstripe will take my spot and move into the Passed... and I will finally get revenge." A sneer lit Mapleshade's mouth, and Stoneheart tried to refrain from backing away. _

_Then, everything started to fade as Stoneheart was launched into darkness._

* * *

"Yes, Stoneheart! Just like that!"

Stoneheart and Freezestar were sparring, claws unsheathed, on the Training Island. The moon was already beginning to rise, and RiverClan was due to the Gathering anytime now. Freezestar and Stoneheart had to nap during the middle of the day to dream with the Dark Forest cats. Apparently, they had been training Freezestar for quite some time now. Stoneheart prayed they never found out he was faking.

One problem that worried him was when Mapleshade told him about his powers. What powers was she talking about? Mistystar had related it to the power of the Roaring Lion, but Stoneheart had no idea what that meant. Roaring Lion... suddenly, it hit him. Lionblaze! There was another prophecy about powers, right? It must have been Lionblaze... and Lionblaze had a physical power; where he was invincible. But Stoneheart wasn't invincible... he knew that because he was getting clawed by Freezestar right now.

"Alright, enough," Freezestar growled as they finished training. He glanced up at the moon. "Let's go back to camp and head to the Gathering. I'll warn the Clan if they speak out during the Gathering or don't look enthusiastic, you have my full permission to kill them in the most painful way possible. Let's go."

Stoneheart followed Freezestar across the river and back to camp with a heavy heart. His Clanmates and his sister no longer trusted him; if Freezestar was killed, the RiverClan cats would probably kill him, too. What did Stoneheart do so wrong? He was trying to protect his sister in the first place. And look how she re-payed him.

_Don't think like that,_ Stoneheart willed himself as he entered the Clan. Glares scorched his fur. _Everything will be okay. You can tell the Clan what really happened when Freezestar dies, which is hopefully going to be soon... I can't let him ruin RiverClan like this any longer._

Freezestar hopped on the Highrock and observed his Clan. "We are going to the Gathering now," He growled. "The patrol will be Stoneheart, Icewing, Robinwing, Mintfur, Graymist, Mossyfur and Willowshine. If I hear any of you talking badly about Stoneheart or I or being mopes like you are, Stoneheart will slaughter you and your kin. Take that as a warning." With a snarl, he hopped off the Highrock and left the camp, Stoneheart trotting after him. The other cats on the patrol followed grudgingly.

They swam over to the Island and emerged into it; Stoneheart noticed that they were the first ones there, as usual. Stoneheart sat awkwardly at the base of the Hightree while Freezestar sat calmly on one of the higher branches, surveying his Clan with narrowed icy eyes. "Remember," He snarled before ThunderClan entered.

"Hi, there," A ginger she-cat with a white paw greeted Stoneheart. The dark gray tom recognized her as Squirrelflight, the ThunderClan deputy. "Who're you? I'm assuming you're RiverClan's new deputy." She glanced distrustfully at Freezestar, who was too busy keeping an eye on his warriors.

"I'm Stoneheart," rumbled Stoneheart, hoping he looked a bit intimidating. "Mistystar's son."

Squirrelflight's green eyes shone sympathy. "Oh, I'm sorry," She frowned, glancing at Freezestar again, "That must be tough, having your mom die so suddenly like that. My dad died, but he was old; Mistystar had recently gotten her lives, right?"

"Yes," Stoneheart answered, looking back up to Freezestar to check if he was paying attention; he didn't appear to be. He was mildly conversing with Bramblestar. "I thought she had at least five left when the foxes killed her. I think they killed her many times before turning on Reedwhisker." Stoneheart shrugged sadly, the lie hurting his heart.

"That must be _terrible_," Squirrelflight murmured, resting her tail on the deputy's shoulder with sympathy. Immediately, Stoneheart smelled WindClan. He could tell Squirrelflight smelled it too, because she wrinkled her nose. "Oh, great. Now we have to deal with Crowfeather; that should be a treat."

Stoneheart had heard many things about the grumpy warrior, including that he was the father of three ThunderClan cats. He decided not to question Squirrelflight about this, because he remembered that Leafpool, the kits' mother, was her sister; he didn't want to offend the friendly ThunderClan deputy. She was the closest thing he had to a friend, and he had barely talked to her.

A black tom with glittering amber eyes trotted up to Squirrelflight and Stoneheart. Squirrelflight immediately looked defensive. "What're you doing here, Breezepelt?" She growled. "Where's your father? Or are you the sudden deputy of WindClan now?"

Breezepelt smiled smugly. "Actually, I am," He smirked. "Onestar's dead, and Crowfeather's the new leader, but he hasn't received his nine lives yet. StarClan sent a sign saying that I was the next deputy of WindClan, so here I am." He observed Stoneheart through slitted eyes. "Kit-fur still hangs on your face," He growled softly. "What's an apprentice doing as deputy? Who are you?"

"I'm Stoneheart," Stoneheart growled, taking an instant dislike to the tom, "And StarClan chose me, as well. I'm the deputy of RiverClan."

"Oh, right," Breezepelt muttered. "I heard a rogue took over your Clan. Man, RiverClan used to be respected," He sighed. "Now there's a rogue as a leader and an apprentice as their deputy! You'll be turning into ThunderClan-kittypets anytime soon!" He added with a grin.

Squirrelflight bared her teeth. "The apple doesn't fall far from the tree," She mewed, rolling her eyes. "Just like your father, Breezepelt. Except maybe a bit fiercer; Nightcloud's personality is no better, really."

Breezepelt snarled, but didn't reply; Stoneheart guessed that even an ignorant tom like him knew there was a truce during Gatherings.

ShadowClan scent entered Stoneheart's nose as a dark brown tabby with glittering amber eyes approached the deputies. "Hello," He meowed cheerfully. Stoneheart was a bit bulkier than the tom; but they both had powerful shoulders and long, hooked claws. _Tigerheart_. His eyes glanced at Stoneheart and Breezepelt. "New deputies, I see?"

"Yes," Breezepelt explained how Onestar died and StarClan's sign, and Stoneheart mumbled something about how StarClan had sent him a sign, too.

"Interesting," Tigerheart rumbled. He was about to mew something when a yowl from Bramblestar silenced all of the cats milling about during the Gathering.

"ThunderClan has prospered this greenleaf, and we expect to do the same this greenleaf," The ThunderClan leader mewed; his mew was so low, it was almost like a rumble. Squirrelflight was looking at her mate enthusiastically. "ThunderClan has two new warriors; Leafstorm and Honeytail."

The Clans cheered for the two ThunderClan warriors, and Bramblestar stepped back. Rowanstar began his report from one of the lower branches, his strong, muscular frame illuminated by the shining moon. "ShadowClan has been doing great, as well," He began. "We also have two new warriors; Mousepelt and Hawkstrike," He paused to allow the Clans to cheer. "And three new apprentices; Cloverpaw, Redpaw, and Darkpaw." The Clans cheered, and Rowanstar ended.

Crowfeather was on the branch above Rowanstar. "WindClan has grave news," He mewed sadly, his blue eyes flashing. "Onestar has recently lost his last life and joined StarClan," Sad murmurs rippled through the island, and Stoneheart noticed that Bramblestar and ThunderClan didn't look very sorry. "So, I am the new leader, although I haven't received my nine lives yet. Breezepelt is the new deputy." The Clans mewed congratulations, and Freezestar stepped forward. Stoneheart's stomach twisted in fear.

"My name is Freezestar," Freezestar began. "Previously Freeze. I was a rogue, but RiverClan took me in and I served them well. I was astonished and greatly saddened that Mistystar and RiverClan's previous deputy, Reedwhisker, were slaughtered by foxes. I did not expect to become leader, but StarClan sent Willowshine a sign saying that I was to be the next leader of RiverClan. However, I am glad to announce that Mistystar's powerful leadership lives on in my deputy, Stoneheart." The Clan cats cheered, but suspiciously and half-heartedly.

"Willowshine," Rowanstar called from the Hightree, "Can you tell us about this sign? Just for verification?"

"Yes," replied RiverClan's medicine cat, her blue eyes unwavering. She wasn't lying, though; even though Stoneheart suspected that Freezestar used some trickery for his sign. "Right when we were mourning for Mistystar and Reedwhisker, a flash hit a reed. Appalled, I looked at it and saw that it had frozen, and a voice whispered to me that Freezestar would be the next cat to lead us."

The Clan cats murmured to each other, but they seemed to accept Freezestar more now that a medicine cat had confirmed the sign.

"I see," Rowanstar mewed, although Stoneheart detected a note of suspicion in his mew. "Alright, then. This Gathering is over!"

The Clan cats broke up, each going towards their leader. Stoneheart saw Freezestar approach him, looking excited. "We will attack WindClan, tonight!" The faded gray tom mewed, happiness brimming in his icy eyes.

Stoneheart tilted his head. "Why? It's right after a Gathering, that's not just,"

"Mintfur heard a WindClan queen saying how the greencough epidemic had really hit WindClan; and how it was strange because it's greenleaf," Freezestar could hardly contain his excitement. "Crowfeather hasn't received his nine lives yet, either! It's perfect! We could easily take over a Clan without having to kill their leader nine times."

"Sounds good," Stoneheart mewed, remembering that he had to act in character. "Shall we go now, then?"

Freezestar shook his head. "No. I sent Robinwing to fetch another patrol and escort Willowshine home. We'll first attack with one patrol, and then two. We have to kill Crowfeather first. I'll take care of that. Keep Breezepelt alive. Mapleshade told me how he still trains in the Dark Forest, so he'll be useful. Kill any other cats that protest or look weak, got it?"

Stoneheart nodded, his mind whirling with a hundred thoughts. With every second, he became more nervous. He hoped that StarClan would trust him to follow Freezestar. It was the only way he could kill the tom; he had to gain his trust and _then _kill him. Stoneheart knew deep down that he was doing the right thing.

Suddenly, he wished that he was not himself. He wished that he could be some other cat so that the WindClan cats didn't recognize him. So that _no_ cat recognized him. Maybe then he wouldn't feel so guilty killing other cats...

Stoneheart looked at his paws and saw that they were brown. Astonished, he checked his tail; it was brown tabby-striped. _What's going on__? _He thought, scared. He whirled around and saw that his pelt was also brown with dark tabby stripes. He glanced around, no cat was paying attention to him. Stoneheart ran through the bushes surrounding the island and looked at his reflection.

He didn't recognize himself. With the light of the moon, he could see that he was a dark brown tabby. He was bigger and had hooked claws, but looking closer, Stoneheart noticed that he still had the same eye color. _What in StarClan?_ He thought, but then the realization hit him.

This must be his power! Was it possible that he could change his appearance at will?

_I want to be a kit._

Suddenly, he became smaller and felt his tail and legs shrink. Stoneheart took another look in the water; he was a white kit! He heard Freezestar call his name, and Stoneheart gasped inwardly. It came out as a kit gasp, though, and Stoneheart chuckled to himself. The giggle was high-pitched, making Stoneheart laugh even more. Then, Freezestar called him again and Stoneheart realized he had to change back.

_I want to be myself._

Stoneheart felt himself growing larger; his tail and legs grew, his face grew broader, and his fur became a dark gray. He looked into the water and sighed with satisfaction; he was himself again. The RiverClan deputy immediately bounded out of the bushes, fear still clenching at his chest.

_StarClan, please know I'm trying to do the right thing._

* * *

**AN: It's interesting to see how different characters view Breezepelt, eh? Do you think he took Wrensong's advice literally?**

**Review?**

* * *

**Guest: They're still recovering.**


	22. T w e n t y

**The Legacy of the Three: Chapter Twenty**

_Wrensong ._

The Gathering was strange. Wrensong had been appalled to find out that Breezepelt was now the WindClan deputy, and she prayed to StarClan that he didn't fake a sign to become deputy. She really wanted him to become leader, but not by cheating. Especially not because of her. She was the one who had suggested the idea, and that's what scared Wrensong the most; it would be her fault if cats found out he cheated to get the leader position.

The ShadowClan cats who went to the Gathering were walking back to their camp peacefully when Wrensong heard a shriek and a snarl; the snarl didn't seem cat-like. The Gathering patrol exchanged glances; what was that noise? Wrensong's stomach tightened when she realized the screeches and wails were coming from the direction of camp.

_The next truce... your medicine cat's namesake..._

"Fox!" screamed Wrensong, immediately figuring out what the noise was. "Foxes are invading the camp!" Without waiting for an answer, she bolted back to ShadowClan's camp. _Please, StarClan, don't let any cats die... I can save them! If only Rowanstar didn't put me in the Gathering patrol, I could've stopped this!_

There was a sea of ginger upon entering camp. Foxes were either eating from the freshkill pile or attacking cats. Shrieking, Wrensong plunged into the battle. A fox snapped its jaws at her. _Die_. It dropped dead. A fox was attacking a bleeding Cloverpaw. _Die painfully_. The fox writhed and yipped as it endured a painful, slow death.

Wrensong made rounds around the camp, reaching into every fox's mind she could and telling it to die. Foxes would circle her from all angles and try to attack her, but either her Clanmates pulled the foxes off or Wrensong got ridiculously fast at killing foxes with her brain. _Die. Drop down dead. Endure a painful death. Die. Get off of Snaketail, do a flip in the air and fall down dead. Die. Do a dance, twirl around, and die._

Wrensong realized that she had killed all of the foxes when she looked around and saw that all of them were on the ground, dead. Wrensong didn't notice that her Clanmates were staring at her, appalled. The cats from the Gathering didn't even have to unsheathe their claws; most of the foxes were dead when they arrived. Wrensong sympathized. From the cats eyes, it must've looked like she would look at a fox and it would drop down dead. Maybe they thought they were next.

"Wrensong?" murmured Rowanstar, padding forward slightly. "What was that?"

"I - " Wrensong was interrupted by a shriek. She glanced towards the source of the sound and saw Snowbird crouching over a motionless and bleeding Foxfur. "We have no medicine cat!" gasped the pure-white she-cat, her blue eyes round and scared. "How can we heal all of these bleeding cats?"

"We have Littlecloud," meowed Tigerheart, flicking his tail to the frail elder. Littlecloud hobbled forward uncertainly, his shoulders bleeding.

"I - I could train an apprentice," He mewed softly. "Although I am not going to live much longer... I will speak to StarClan tonight and announce their choice as an apprentice tomorrow at dawn." Littlecloud look tired; there were a few gashed on his flank, and Wrensong guessed he had been fighting. He limped into his den, not even glancing at the motionless warriors on the ground.

"Who's going to heal all of these injured cats?" whispered Toadfoot, looking at the camp with dismay. The dens were made of brambles, so they weren't harmed, but cats were lying motionless and bleeding on the floor. Wrensong noticed Crowfrost, Pinenose, Snaketail, Oakfur and Falconwing all lying on the ground.

Wrensong stepped forward to the closest cat, Pinenose. Burying her nose in the queen's fur, she reached into Pinenose's mind. _Pain. Foxes. Invasion. Must protect Cloverpaw... cannot die on Ferretclaw. _Wrensong felt pity as she heard the young cat's thoughts. _Heal, _Wrensong willed her.

Suddenly, Pinenose yawned and stood up, shaking off her pelt. The ShadowClan cats gasped at Wrensong. Pinenose glanced at the puddle of blood on the ground and screamed. "Wha-? How am I still alive? The foxes invade - " The cut off and looked at Wrensong, her eyes wide. "You! You were in my thoughts, and suddenly I woke up!" Pinenose looked around the camp. "Where's Cloverpaw? Is she okay?"

"Right here," Cloverpaw squeaked from under a dead fox. She scrambled under it and stood up, brushing a few scratches off her pelt. "I'm fine. The fox dropped dead right in front of me when I was fighting it, almost like magic!"

"What are you waiting for?" snarled Ratscar to Wrensong after a moment of silence. "Heal the other cats!"

Wrensong snarled back but went to work, reaching into the other cats' heads and healing them. But two cats had no thoughts left in them; they were simply dead. This included Snaketail and Crowfrost. Both still had their claws unsheathed, and Wrensong guessed that they were fighting until the last moment.

As soon as the previously injured cats sprang up, suddenly cured, the ShadowClan cats milled around Wrensong and started overwhelming her with questions, like, "How did you do that?" "Can only halfClan cats have powers like this?" "Can you heal cats, or kill them?" Wrensong, not being able to stand the questions, came up with an idea. _Could I wipe this memory from their heads?_

She answered all of their questions best she could, until she was confronted by Tigerheart and Rowanstar. "We want to have a long talk with you tomorrow," growled Rowanstar, glancing at the setting moon. It would be dawn soon. "At sunhigh, be in my den. We will have a long discussion."

Nodding, Wrensong lumbered off to the warriors' den and waited for the cats to fall asleep. Every cat was too tired to sit vigil for Crowfrost and Snaketail, but Wrensong noticed that Rowanstar was sitting beside the two warriors. When all of the cats were asleep, Wrensong reached into their minds and erased the memory of the foxes and her healing cats. She even went into Littlecloud's den and erased the memory, just for good measure. However, she kept the memory of Foxfur dead.

On her way back to her den, she heard a growl.

"Wrensong? What are you still doing walking about? It's dawn," Rowanstar narrowed his eyes at her.

"I - ," Wrensong decided it would be best to be honest. "Okay. I didn't want any cat to remember what happened last night. I don't want to be treated like a goddess or like I'm special. You're the only one with full memory of the event, I felt uncomfortable taking away the memory from you."

Rowanstar observed her quietly for a moment. "You have an incredibly powerful ability," He growled. "Too powerful for my liking. You can control cats, can't you? It's a good thing you're decent, or else you'd have taken over this Clan by now." The old leader sighed. "I suppose your power comes from Dovewing. And I have discovered who the one of the Four in my Clan is."

"Y-you know about the prophecy?" stammered Wrensong, suddenly nervous and thankful she didn't take the memory away from Rowanstar.

"Of course," growled Rowanstar. "I've known about it for moons. Well, there wasn't really a prophecy; Blackstar warned me that there would be seven omens and one cat from each Clan was chosen to stop the omens and save the Clans. It sounded ridiculously stupid, so I didn't pay attention to it until now." He observed her. "Do you think you could bring back dead cats?" He added, a note of hope in his voice.

"I tried," Wrensong mewed sadly. "I'm afraid my power isn't that powerful. I can only reach into cat's minds, see some of their thoughts, and then kind of... control them, I guess. I tell them what to do, and the cat or thing immediately responds. But, I have to be looking into their eyes. And I can't heal myself, I've tried."

"At least you're not that powerful," Rowanstar conceded. "It'd be dangerous to have a cat like that running around. I'm glad that you had the foresight to take away the memories from your Clanmates, too. Although it may be wrong, at least it'll help us out. Did you remove the memory from your father?"

"No," admitted Wrensong. "I couldn't bring myself to do it."

"Good," growled Rowanstar. "We need him to know about it. This power is a secret between us three, though, got it? I don't care if your Clanmates are dying in the claws of a badger. Simply attack the badger and while you're at it, just control it or whatever you do. Same goes in battle. ShadowClan will not be seen as being weak by having one cat do all of the work. That is cowardly."

Wrensong nodded, wholeheartedly agreeing with Rowanstar. That had been part of the reason why Wrensong had wiped the memory from her Clanmates; she knew they might take advantage of her power and depend on her too much. If Wrensong died, she didn't want ShadowClan to become weak because of an absence of her power. "I understand, Rowanstar," She mewed.

"Alright," Rowanstar flicked his tail in the direction of the warriors' den. "Go get Tigerheart. We must meet to discuss how we are going to approach this power, and why exactly you have been blessed with it." He rose to his paws and disappeared into his den. Wrensong glanced back at him and bounded over to the warriors' den, making her pawsteps quiet.

"Tigerheart," She hissed, prodding her father to wake him up. He groaned, twitched, and opened his wide amber eyes. "H-huh?" He mewed, then his eyes seemed to sparkle with realization. "Oh, right! Rowanstar probably wants to talk now," The huge warrior lifted himself out of the warriors' den and dashed towards Rowanstar's den in the hollow of the tree he addressed his Clan on. Wrensong followed him into Rowanstar's den, marveling at how large the hollow was.

Rowanstar nodded to Tigerheart and Wrensong. Wrensong twitched an ear in greeting, and Tigerheart flicked his tail. Rowanstar glanced over at his deputy and filled him in on how Wrensong had removed the memory from all of her Clanmates, but kept the memory that Foxfur was dead. "We are here to meet and see... how exactly we can deal with this power," Rowanstar looked at Wrensong. "I have received many dreams from StarClan about how one of the Four was in my Clan due to a mistake. I was confused, but when I saw your power, I realized what they meant. You weren't supposed to be in ShadowClan; at least, I don't think you were. Anyway, that's not the point. Have you received dreams from StarClan about a prophecy?"

"Yes," Wrensong admitted hesitantly. "I-I didn't know what they meant. I have them most nights, but it's always the same thing; they tell me to search for the other three, but I don't know who they are. I haven't received any hints about it. But the night before the Gathering, StarClan sent me a dream. No cats were there, but they warned me of the coming plague. I didn't understand what it meant until when we were coming home from the Gathering, though. The dreams are very vague."

Rowanstar blinked, agreeing with Wrensong. "Yes. They are vague for me, as well," He admitted, his amber eyes confused. "They only told me there were Four cats and that one was in my Clan. I do not know of any other information." Suddenly, his eyes lit up. "Oh! I do remember one thing, actually. They told me that two plagues would hit each Clan, but there are only seven plagues. I didn't understand."

Wrensong narrowed her eyes, absorbing what Rowanstar had just said. Yes, Rowanstar was right; how could there be seven plagues, two for each Clan, when there were four Clans? That meant that one Clan would only have one plague. But what determined that? "That's strange," Wrensong murmured, glancing up at her leader. "Do you want me to see if they say anything else if they send me dreams tonight? And I'll keep you informed if they do?"

Rowanstar nodded slowly. "That would be best," He murmured. "Wrensong, you can go to sleep. But she's on the moonhigh patrol, correct, Tigerheart?" Tigerheart nodded. "Alright," Rowanstar mewed, "Then you must get up at moonhigh. Keep me updated on your dreams, and I will keep you updated on mine. You are dismissed."

Wrensong dipped her head respectfully and trotted back to the warriors' den, easily fading into the soft temptation of sleep. Now that her leader knew about the prophecy, could she find the other three cats?

* * *

_"Wrensong," A voice murmured her name._

_Wrensong blinked open her eyes. She was in StarClan; but not the place she usually visited. In front of her was a dark forest with mist shrouding it; the forest smelled of death, blood, and decomposition. Wrensong glanced behind her and found that the lush forests of StarClan were behind her. Turning to her left, she noticed that Blackstar was with her. He flicked his tail in greeting. _

_"Where are we?" Wrensong asked, motioning to the dark forest in front of her with a wave of her tail._

_Blackstar narrowed his eyes. "We are on the border of StarClan and the Place of No Stars, or, the Dark Forest. The Place of No Stars is where evil, twisted cats reside. They are notorious for training warriors of the Clans who are ignored and weak. That is what started the Great Battle."_

_Wrensong's eyes widened. "What are we doing here?" She asked, appalled. Why would Blackstar take her to such a dangerous place? _

_"I must show you something, but later," He murmured, his amber eyes flashing at the Dark Forest. "Rowanstar and Tigerheart now know of your powers. They will not tell, but you didn't listen for murmurs of other mysterious cats last night like I asked you to. There were no whispers of those cats last night, so I'll forgive you. But, I have a hint for you on one of the cats that will be crucial to saving your Clan," Blackstar's eyes narrowed, as if they were accusing her of something. "You have met this warrior before."_

_"What's the hint?" wondered Wrensong, ignoring Blackstar's menacing stare._

_"The leaves tell us when time is changing," Blackstar whispered softly. "You will find this warrior under his namesake. That is my hint. You must find him. Danger has already begun."_

_"That's a confusing hint," Wrensong protested angrily. _

_Blackstar gave her a stare. "Maybe, but you're one of the most clever cats in ShadowClan. And that is something to be proud of. Think, Wrensong; I have already used this cats name in the hint. I've given you countless other hints," He padded towards the Dark Forest. "Come. I must show you something."_

_Wrensong followed Blackstar uneasily into the Dark Forest. Mist shrouded them, and Wrensong almost lost sight of the StarClan cat as they weaved through the dead trees. Wrensong was about to speak, but Blackstar lashed his tail, warning her to be quiet. Pricking her ears, Wrensong could hear snarls and yowls coming from ahead of them._

_Blackstar paused at a bush and invited Wrensong to join him with a twitch of his tail. "Look into the clearing," He mewed softly. _

_Wrensong peered into the clearing. Two cats were battling there; one a dark ginger and white she-cat, and the other a black tom. She was confused at what Blackstar wanted her to look at, but then the black cat turned around, his amber eyes narrowed. Wrensong almost gasped. How could he!_

_It was Breezepelt._

* * *

**AN: Wrensong's power is incredibly powerful, she must seem like the biggest mary sue, gah Dx But here's the catch: she can't heal herself or anything like that. Her power only works on other cats. So she's not invincible or anything. **


	23. T w e n t y O n e

**The Legacy of the Three: Chapter Twenty One**

_Galepaw ._

Galepaw padded quietly with his Clan, heading back from the Gathering. His heart beat excitedly; the Gathering was great! He and Fogpaw had met the apprentices from all of the other Clans, but RiverClan didn't seem to have any apprentices. Galepaw wished they had, he would've liked to learn about them. Especially about how it was like having a rogue as your Clan leader. Galepaw couldn't imagine having a stranger turn up and claim he was the rightful leader of WindClan.

The nicest apprentice he met had to be a she-cat from ThunderClan named Featherpaw. She was a silver tabby and very pretty, and answered all of Galepaw's questions. She was very interesting, too. She told Galepaw that she was halfClan; half-ThunderClan and half-ShadowClan. Galepaw felt bad for her, he couldn't imagine being half-ShadowClan!

"How did you like the Gathering?" purred his mentor, Weaselfur. Before Galepaw settled down with the apprentices, Weaselfur introduced him to some 'very important' warriors. He introduced Galepaw to Thornclaw, Dovewing, and Birchfall from ThunderClan; Tigerheart, Toadfoot and Ratscar from ShadowClan; and Graymist and Mintfur from RiverClan. They were all really nice, but five times Galepaw's height. He was a bit intimidated by them.

"Great!" Galepaw raved. "I loved meeting all of the cats you introduced me to, and all of the apprentices. I met a really nice ThunderClan apprentice named Featherpaw. She's really pretty with blue eyes like Fogpaw's! And then I met a ginger tabby named Redpaw who was very cocky, but he seemed alright. I also met another ThunderClan apprentice named Hollypaw, but she was kind of quiet and shushed me a lot. But there were no RiverClan apprentices."

Weaselfur narrowed his eyes. "It seems like you had a good time," He mewed, "But remember, they're enemy warriors, too. We can respect them, but we can't be friends. And it doesn't really surprise me that RiverClan has no apprentices. Stoneheart, the RiverClan deputy, isn't even ten moons yet."

Galepaw cocked his head as he raced alongside his mentor. "But then shouldn't he still be an apprentice?" He asked.

"Yes," Weaselfur growled. "It's their new leader, Freezestar. He's up to no good. I'm surprised Crowfeather didn't say anything about him stealing you."

Galepaw shrugged as they arrived at camp. "Yeah. Maybe he didn't want to cause trouble because he's not an official leader yet. He'll probably confront him next Gathering, I hope." Galepaw trotted through the hollow and saw his father murmuring to Crowfeather. Breezepelt was declared deputy after Crowfeather had a dream saying that StarClan wanted him to be deputy. Galepaw was really proud of his father; he was the deputy's kit!

"Hi!" A cheery mew behind Galepaw made the tabby spin around. His sister was approaching him, her blue eyes bright. "Wasn't the Gathering amazing?" She whispered, her eyes awestruck. "I really liked that tom, Firepaw, we met. He was really nice. And so was Featherpaw, the apprentice you were talking to."

"Yeah," Galepaw breathed, remembering the laughs he had with the much older ThunderClan apprentice. "Firepaw was cool. He was a little bossy though. He kept telling us how he was named after Firestar, remember?"

Fogpaw's blue eyes looked unconcerned. "Well, yeah, but what ThunderClan apprentice _isn't_ arrogant?" She shrugged. "It's cool how he's named after such a great leader! And apparently he looks just like him, but I don't think Firestar had white paws. But it's still strange."

Galepaw nodded, noticing he was beginning to doze off. "Yeah," He yawned. "I'm going to sleep. I'm really tired. Are you tired?"

Fogpaw shook her head. "No, but I'm hungry. I'll be right in." As she trotted over to the freshkill pile, Galepaw made his way over to the apprentices' area. Rockfang and Grassfeather were warriors now, so it was only occupied by Fogpaw and Galepaw. Galepaw wished that Frostkit, Rainkit and Stormkit would be apprentices soon. But that was another four moons away.

As Galepaw was closing his eyes, he heard a shriek. Immediately, his eyes flew open, and he saw foreign cats sprinting up the slope and charging into WindClan's camp, attacking them. Crowfeather darted out of his den and yowled the alarm. The elders gathered the kits and hid in an abandoned fox set by the camp, while the queens started to fight.

Galepaw felt a knot in his stomach as he charged into the battle. He'd hardly had any battle training, but Weaselfur told him to rely on his speed. Narrowing his eyes, Galepaw shot himself as the closest cat, a mottled silver tom, and landed on his back, raking his claws along his flank. The silver tom snarled and tried to shake Galepaw off, but Galepaw was too quick. Using his speed, he darted under the mottled tom's flank and clawed his belly. Snarling, the tom landed on top of Galepaw, and Galepaw gasped. He hadn't seen this move coming.

Galepaw glanced around the camp. WindClan was being overtaken, and many cats were lying on the ground, motionless, including Crowfeather. Crowfeather! No! Turning around, Galepaw snarled and escaped the tom; he then charged into him and the two rolled around in a whirlwind of claws.

"Halt!"

Galepaw and the mottled tom halted, breathing heavily.

Alpine - or, Freezestar - was standing on the Tallstone, where Onestar addressed WindClan. "WindClan have already lost," He snarled, his icy eyes shining. "Crowfeather is dead. We have spared your deputy. You are now under the control of RiverClan - and me, Freezestar. Hail me, WindClan."

"This isn't over!" snarled Owlwhisker, his amber eyes blazing. "I'll fight you to the death if I have to! A rogue will not take over WindClan!"

Freezestar glanced lazily at Stoneheart, his deputy, and flicked his tail. Stoneheart narrowed his eyes and Galepaw saw that regret had flashed over their blue depths. Without warning, the huge tom leaped at Owlwhisker and pinned him down immediately. Owlwhisker snarled, clawing Stoneheart with his hind legs, but it did no damage; Stoneheart's fur was too thick to get a hold of. Stoneheart paused for a moment and Galepaw could almost swear he mouthed, 'I'm sorry' to Owlwhisker, but then the moment was lost as Stoneheart plunged his teeth into the tabby warrior's throat. Owlwhisker twitched, then went still.

"No!" moaned Whitetail, dashing up to her friend as Stoneheart stepped back, spitting out Owlwhisker's blood. She shook him, but Owlwhisker couldn't get up. "How could you?" She snarled to Freezestar. "How could you be so heartless?"

"Do you want to be next?" Freezestar retorted. "I know who your kits are! I'll kill them slowly right in front of your eyes!" Whitetail's eyes burned, but she didn't reply. "Does any other cat want to oppose me?" He snarled, his icy eyes flashing at WindClan. The WindClan cats glanced at each other and hung their heads, there was nothing they could do. Freezestar smiled, he knew that the WindClan cats were under his control.

"This is the dawn of a new era!" Freezestar yowled to the stars. "A new era of power and peace! Follow me, fellow warriors, and we shall rule the lake!" His eyes narrowed at the WindClan cats. "Our camp will be at the Island. You must move everything there. You are to patrol your own borders as usual. If word that I have taken your Clan over spreads, I will murder your kin painfully in front of your eyes."

"Who will lead WindClan?" croaked a voice from the back of the crowd.

"Me, you stupid toad!" snarled Freezestar, his icy eyes flashing. "Your representative shall be Breezepelt, but he is no leader. He may kill you, however. Stoneheart is my deputy, and I expect you to treat him with the same respect you'd treat Onestar with. He will be in charge of killing cats if they misbehave, so you may want to be nice to him." Freezestar smirked. "Where are your apprentices? Step forward."

Galepaw glanced at his sister, who had a gash on her shoulder, and nervously stepped forward. Freezestar crowed in delight when he saw Galepaw. "You! You're the WindClan cat who managed to escape my grasp when I tried to kill you!" He cackled, and Galepaw flattened his ears in shame. "Ha! I'll give you a special warrior name, then, little one. Step forward, what's your name?"

"Galepaw," Galepaw rasped, looking at his paws.

"Wait!" Breezepelt's mew rang through the hollow. He stepped forward, his amber eyes big and concerned. "Freezestar, will all due respect, these two apprentices are nowhere near ready to become warriors yet. They have only been training for a little more than a moon. You'd be making your Clan weaker by making them warriors."

Galepaw felt a flash of anger and glared at his father, but Breezepelt gave a short shake of his head when he noticed Galepaw glaring at him. Galepaw understood right away; Breezepelt was still trying to protect his kits, even with the mess WindClan had become.

Freezestar's icy eyes burned into Breezepelt's fierce amber ones. "Very well," Freezestar snarled, lashing his tail. "This is why your Clan is so weak, Breezepelt..." Galepaw stared in awe as Breezepelt simply hung his head, not standing up for WindClan. "But I will make it strong. A new era is coming. The era of Freezestar!"

Stoneheart yowled in a cheer, and the RiverClan cats hesitantly followed. Catching the hint, the WindClan cats began to yowl in approval for Freezestar; who was basking in it all, his head held high as he listened to the cheers of his new followers. Galepaw felt sickened and refused to cheer for Alpine, the cat who had nearly killed him.

Freezestar hopped down from the Tallstone and observed the new Clan of cats. "We shall be called a new name," He mewed quietly. "But this new name will be kept secret, of course; I do not want word getting out to the other Clans." He observed the cats with icy eyes. "We shall be one! And we shall be known as... IceClan!"

The WindClan and RiverClan cats glanced at each other in dismay when Freezestar announced this. _IceClan?_ Galepaw thought with dread, staring at his paws. _No! I'm a loyal WindClan cat! I will never identify myself as IceClan... how could I? I won't let Crowfeather die in vain. I must be able to do something to stop this madness._

Freezestar murmured something to Stoneheart and disappeared from camp. Stoneheart observed the Clan cats and sighed. Galepaw pricked his ears, was Stoneheart up to something? "Come on, uh, WindClan and RiverClan," growled Stoneheart. Galepaw's heart swelled when he realized Stoneheart wasn't using this ridiculous new name. "To the Island. Or else... Remember, Freezestar is waiting." With a swish of his tail, Stoneheart bounded out of the camp, the WindClan and RiverClan cats slowly following.

"Galepaw," Galepaw turned around and saw Breezepelt hissing his name. "Round up the elders and the kits from the old fox set. Bring them to the Island. Freezestar will find them soon enough, there's no use of them hiding." Breezepelt flicked his tail, and Galepaw nodded obediently, turning around and bounding towards the old fox set.

Upon reaching it, he crawled into the old fox set. Tornear was comforting Furzepelt's kits, who were making terrified squeals. "What has happened, Galepaw?" Tornear whispered, his eyes wide. Galepaw could tell from his expression that Tornear had heard the yowls of Freezestar.

Galepaw quickly explained to the elder how Freezestar had taken over the camp and that Crowfeather died. "He - he declared us as IceClan, and now we have to move camps to the I-island," Galepaw stammered. "Breezepelt sent me to get you, because Freezestar will find you eventually. It's just not safe anymore."

Tornear sighed, his amber eyes wide and confused. He turned to the kits. "Come on," He mewed briskly, "We must get to the Island before that tyrant notices and tries to hurt us," The kits stood up, mewling; they all had bright blue eyes that were widened with fear.

"What if he gets us?" squeaked the light silver tabby; Frostkit. "I don't want to die!"

"Yeah, I want to be a warrior!" snarled Stormkit, unsheathing tiny claws. "I'll shred him if I have to!"

"Hush, kits," murmured Tornear. "You cannot beat Freezestar just yet. He will not get us; we have Galepaw here, who is a brave, brave apprentice." Galepaw's heart warmed with pride as the elder praised him. Tornear glanced at Galepaw and held out a mottled silver she-cat to him. Galepaw recognized Rainkit. "Can you carry her?" He rasped. "She still has some greencough left, and she's too weak to walk."

Galepaw nodded and took the tiny kit's scruff in his mouth. Together, the five cats padded out of the fox set and went as fast as they could to the Island. But Tornear was elderly and the kits were small; so it was a long, difficult journey. When they reached the Treebridge, Galepaw was lost. How was he supposed to take three mewling kits across this? Then, he had an idea.

"Tornear, you go first," Galepaw growled, his voice muffled by Rainkit's fur. "I'll bring them to the other side one by one. If you're over there, they'll have someone to protect them while I'm going back and forth."

Tornear nodded, a small glimmer of respect brimming in his eyes. He made his way slowly across the Treebridge, and after a few moments, finally arrived to the other side. Galepaw brought Rainkit across first, and dropped the coughing kit to the elders' side when he reached the shore. He proceded to bring Stormkit and Frostkit across, and they soon were all gathered on the shore.

"Let's go," Galepaw murmured, picking Rainkit up again. She let out a mewl of protest, but Galepaw kept padding forward until they reached the clearing of the Island. He sniffed for Furzepelt's scent, and found it immediately. She was huddled by the edge of the territory, Boulderclaw murmuring comforting words to her.

Galepaw headed forward and dropped off the kits next to Furzepelt, who widened her eyes with joy as she saw them. "I thought you were _dead!_" She croaked, nuzzling each of them. Her eyes glimmered with happiness at Galepaw. "Oh, thank you, Galepaw! I thought they were gone!"

"No problem," Galepaw mewed shyly, warmed by the queens' praise. He was about to suggest that Rainkit was seen by Kestrelflight when a yowl from the Hightree interrupted him.

"Cats of IceClan!" yowled Freezestar. Even from the corner of the Island, Galepaw could see his icy blue eyes glittering. "I have important news. All elders, queens, and kits must be moved to RiverClan camp immediately." Upon protests from the WindClan cats, he snarled. "I am the leader here, I make the decisions. Now, two warriors from each Clan will guard the camp daily, being relieved by other warriors, of course. It is for their own safety."

"Why do we have to stay in this dump, then?" snarled a warrior Galepaw recognized as Leaftail. "There are no dens and we're surrounded by water! The WindClan cats aren't used to that." Yowls and mews of agreement met his words, Galepaw among them. It would be very uncomfortable for WindClan cats to live on this Island surrounded by water. They preferred the open moors; WindClan cats did not like being restricted.

"Make your own dens!" growled Freezestar. "The elders and queens and kits will be taken care of; and that's all you Clans care about, anyway! So you should be happy!" He lashed his tail, his icy eyes flashing. Snarls of protest answered the RiverClan leader, but he yowled to hush them. "Do you want me to kill your kin? I have very important news for IceClan, if only you'd listen!"

The Island was silent.

"In our conquest to unite all of the Clans, we must make a risky decision. I have heard of the Three. They hold incredible power, and they probably know that we have united by now. How can we defeat them? They will only hinder our journey for peace. Any cat that has ideas will be treated with the utmost respect and will be allowed to lead the conquest to kill the Three."

"Lionblaze is invincible in battle," growled Breezepelt from the middle of the clearing. "Defeating him will be simple. We must spread the greencough into ThunderClan's camp. Then, Jayfeather will be busy treating it, and Lionblaze will most likely catch it. Dovewing is a poor fighter, she'll be easy to kill."

"Very good, Breezepelt!" Freezestar grinned. "I know of the outbreak of greencough from WindClan. Which of your cats have greencough? Step forward, please." Galepaw noticed that Furzepelt stepped protectively in front of Rainkit, who was coughing feebly. Thankfully, Freezestar took no notice of her.

"I-I do," stammered Emberfoot, stepping forward. He was a once-powerful warrior, but the greencough outbreak had left his fur ragged and his eyes dull. He coughed, his amber eyes streaming. "W-what do you need me to - " The gray tom coughed, " - do?"

Freezestar smirked happily at the young warrior; there was a hunger in his eyes... the kind of look Galepaw saw warriors give rabbits before they killed them. It was like Freezestar had caught the perfect prey. "Come with me, warrior," Freezestar mewed, hopping off the Hightree and twitching his tail enticingly at Emberfoot, "And I will tell you what you must do. Afterwards, I will be sure to cure you... and you will be treated like a king..."

Galepaw felt a knot twisting in his stomach. What had his once-respected Clan turned into?

* * *

**AN: Uh oh, Freezestar's taking over Clans... can you catch hints of one of the prophecies now? ;)**

* * *

**WildCroconaw - Yes, you caught my subtle hint of history repeating itself. Hehe ;)**


	24. T w e n t y T w o

**The Legacy of the Three: Chapter Twenty Two**

_Wrensong ._

"Hey, Wrensong," A voice woke her from her disturbing dream. A massive paw prodded her shoulder, and a soft voice repeated, "Wrensong, hey. We're on the moonhigh patrol. You have to wake up now... it's moonhigh, and Toadfoot is getting annoyed that you're late."

Wrensong opened her emerald-green eyes to stare into the amber eyes of Hawkstrike. Flinching, Wrensong was immediately on her paws, her hackles raised. A growl came from the back of her throat. "What are you doing?" She mewed defensively, flattening down her fur at Hawkstrike's confused expression.

He looked offended, and the massive warrior narrowed his eyes. "Just waking you up for patrol so you don't get yelled at. I'm sorry, did I offend you?" He spat out the last words, and Wrensong flinched. She hadn't meant to offend Hawkstrike; he had simply gotten too close for her liking. She didn't really trust the dark tabby anymore after he had called her halfClan; that stung.

"Hey, Wrensong!" A friendly voice greeted her as she emerged from the warriors' den. Wrensong's friend, Mousepelt, and Hawkstrike's sister, was trotting over to her. "Are you on the moonhigh patrol, too? I was just chosen to be on it." Mousepelt's pale green eyes looked warm. Wrensong hadn't been seeing much of her friend because she had been busy with Redpaw, and Mousepelt was busy with her mate, Falconwing. Wrensong could tell Mousepelt was about to have kits because her belly was beginning to swell.

"Yep, I'm on the moonhigh patrol," Wrensong chirped, as if Mousepelt's brother hadn't just freaked her out. "How are the kits coming along? Are you alright to patrol?" The striped brown she-cat glanced at Mousepelt's belly with envy; Wrensong really wanted to be a mother, but she was afraid it would hinder the possibility that she would become leader. She really wanted to follow her father's pawsteps and become at least the deputy.

"I'm fine," Mousepelt replied as they reached Toadfoot and Hawkstrike; both who looked annoyed that the she-cats were gossiping. "Littlecloud chose his new apprentice, did you hear? Well, there's nothing set on it yet... but I think it's one of Shrewfoot's kits. He got a sign, apparently, that it was Lightkit. They'll be apprenticed in a moon, and he's always been hanging around the medicine cat den." Mousepelt shrugged.

"Are you two finished gossiping, or can this patrol wait until another time?" hissed Toadfoot, his eyes impatient.

Mousepelt twitched her whiskers; unafraid of the arrogant tom. "Go ahead, Toadfoot,"

Toadfoot flicked his tail and bounded out of the camp, Hawkstrike following. Mousepelt and Wrensong exchanged a glance, dashing to catch up to the two uptight toms. Tonight, they would patrol the ThunderClan border. Wrensong always was put on a ThunderClan border patrol, and she wondered if it was by accident.

As they reached the border, the four cats began to renew the scents that had been staling up for a bit. ThunderClan wasn't as nocturnal as ShadowClan was, so Wrensong didn't expect any patrols to be out this late at night. Her suspicions were right when no ThunderClan patrols showed up. _Thank StarClan._ The last time Wrensong had been out on patrol on the ThunderClan border, she had to fight her own brother. She would fight him again if he endangered the Clan, but she didn't like spilling her own kin's blood. It felt wrong.

"Alright, let's go," Toadfoot mewed with a flick of his tail. The cats trotted after him, in no particular hurry to get back to camp. They were all well rested and the patrol had been short yet successful.

"Should we do some hunting?" Mousepelt called; her and Wrensong were at the back of the patrol. "We'll be back fairly early, and since it's almost leaf-bare I think Rowanstar will expect us to hunt."

Toadfoot twitched his tail and turned around. "Ah, yeah, good idea, Mousepelt," Wrensong could see Mousepelt smiling from the praise she received from the senior warrior. "Maybe we should split up to speed up the hunting a bit. I'll go with Hawkstrike by the shore, and Wrensong and Mousepelt, you guys will hunt over here. When the moon's at its highest, we'll meet here."

The three cats agreed, and Wrensong split up with Mousepelt as they hunted by ThunderClan territory. "Sorry if I'm being... ah, nosy," Mousepelt murmured after Wrensong snagged a blackbird, "But... the Clan has been wondering what happened to you and Hawkstrike."

Wrensong blinked, unsurprised by the question. The past few days she'd been getting curious looks from her Clanmates when she chose to eat prey with other cats instead of Hawkstrike. The whole Clan had assumed they were mates, so the sudden fallout must've confused them. "We got in a fight," She admitted, flicking her tail. "I - he called me something I - well, halfClan. I think it was because he was mad. I just - I just felt uneasy, so I said we should have a break." Even though Mousepelt was Hawkstrike's sister, the two were good friends and Wrensong knew that Mousepelt wouldn't be upset.

The sandy she-cat nodded gravelly. "Yeah, Hawkstrike does have a temper," She murmured, her eyes looking distant; as if they were remembering something. Her amber eyes focused on Wrensong. "I-I'm sorry that he called you that. I know he didn't mean it, but I understand." The queen gave Wrensong a friendly flick on the tail. "I won't tell any other cat; I can tell you don't want it getting out. But let's go hunting so grumpy Toadfoot doesn't tell us off!"

Wrensong smiled back at her friend and the two began to hunt; Wrensong realized at the end of hunting that she hadn't even thought of Hawkstrike or her mysterious powers. She had felt free.

* * *

The next night, Wrensong was padding into the tunnels with a heavy heart. She knew she had to confront Breezepelt about the Dark Forest; how could they ever continue this relationship if Breezepelt was training with the enemy? Wrensong didn't want to meet him in battle one day. She couldn't bear to hurt him, and she knew he wouldn't be able to injure her, either. They had endured too much together; they were simply too close. _This relationship has gone too far..._

She entered the Cross and saw Breezepelt staring at Wrensong with huge eyes. She'd never seen him like this; his fur was on end, as if he was afraid of something, and there was genuine fear in his amber eyes. She rushed forward immediately and licked his cheek despite herself. "Breezepelt?" She murmured.

Breezepelt choked, not meeting her gaze. "I-it's terrible," He whispered, his voice distant. "Freezestar. He has taken over WindClan and declared a new Clan; IceClan. Cats are dying by the day from murders and confusion... Crowfeather died... and... I'm too young. Freezestar has put me partly in charge of WindClan. I-I don't know what to do."

Wrensong listened to her mate with huge eyes. She stepped back and observed him; there was no trace of a lie in his eyes. With a knotted stomach, Wrensong knew that the WindClan warrior was telling the truth. "Wha - how?" Wrensong breathed. She knew she could not confront Breezepelt when he was in this state; she needed to be there for him right now, to comfort him.

"It was after the Gathering," murmured Breezepelt softly, beginning to settle down. "We were beginning to get ready to sleep, when he attacked. Immediately, he killed Crowfeather. He pinned me down, saying he'd let me live... the RiverClan cats outnumbered us easily. Freezestar was telling us how he would control us when Owlwhisker stepped forward, speaking against Freezestar. He killed him right away... and told us if we told any cat, he'd kill our kin slowly and painfully. Right in front of our eyes. He-he already sent a sickness to ThunderClan to wipe them out. After he recruited ThunderClan he's going to attack ShadowClan."

Wrensong gasped, her tail beginning to bristle. "How come no cats have planned to try and kill him?" She whispered in awe. "Why don't they all gang up on him and wipe him out?"

Breezepelt shrugged. "We tried, today, in fact. It was mostly the RiverClan warriors; Robinwing... Mintfur and the elder, Pouncetail. Rockfang also joined in. But Freezestar beat all of them easily... it was like he had a mysterious strength; like it came from StarClan itself. I've never seen any cat fight like that. And of course, he had his minion to help him out."

"Stoneheart," Wrensong whispered, almost to herself. She had really liked the level-minded tom when they had first met, and she was surprised that he had turned into a ruthless killer so quickly. "But... he was so gentle when I met him before," She shook her head. "I-I didn't think he would turn out like this..."

"Cats who you least expect become killers," rasped Breezepelt.

Right then, Wrensong remembered that this cat had been training in the Dark Forest. She knew this wasn't the time to confront him; but she had to. If things in this so-called 'IceClan' were this bad, this might be the last time she would see him down here. He might be confined to his camp if he was caught sneaking out. "I have to ask you something, Breezepelt," She mewed.

"What is it, Wrensong?"

"I-I saw you training in the Dark Forest the other night," She admitted, hanging her head. "With a ginger and white she-cat. Are... are you on Freezestar's side? I just... I'm curious. I didn't think you'd be that kind of cat... I thought you were stronger than that; stronger than the temptations of the Dark Forest."

Breezepelt's amber eyes narrowed for a moment, and for a heartbeat Wrensong thought he would lash out at her; but then the fire from his eyes subsided and they returned to their normal, warm shade. "It's hard escaping them," He murmured, his words dripping with shame. "They tempt me. They told me I could be the leader of WindClan... everything I wanted... only if I swore my allegiance. I was just an apprentice; I had no idea it would be so costly..." Suddenly, he whipped his head up, his eyes wild. "I can't escape her, Wrensong! I can't escape Mapleshade! She's the ginger and white one... she won't let me leave her! I can't..."

His shoulders were hunched and his breaths were coming in rugged, wild gasps. "I try hard, Wrensong, I really do; but she won't let me escape her. Every night I try and dream of something else, but Mapleshade is always there. She hurts me if I don't do what I'm told."

Wrensong felt a sudden flash of anger. "Then be stronger than her, Breezepelt! You can't give in! Think of your kits, Breezepelt; think of _me_. What will they think when they found out you're training with that monster? They're the only family you have left!"

Breezepelt shrank back, his eyes flashing. "You don't understand!" He growled; his amber eyes were like fire. "It's hard to escape her! She hurts me! She's killed cats before; she's not afraid of me!" There was also another emotion in Breezepelt's expression; yes, shame, but something else... like he _wanted _to train with Mapleshade.

"You want to train with Mapleshade," Wrensong hissed, lashing her tail angrily. "I can see it in your eyes. Breezepelt, don't you get it? This goes against everything I _stand_ for; and everything you should stand for! How can you turn your back on your Clan like this and train in the Dark Forest? They nearly destroyed the forest only three seasons ago!"

"I - she makes me a better warrior," whispered Breezepelt. "That's what I wanted in the first place. I-I didn't think you'd be so concerned, but now that you've yowled some sense into me... I realize I have to be stronger than her," His eyes narrowed menacingly. "I'll fight her. I don't want my kits growing up and having me labeled as a traitor. I want to be a cat they can be proud of."

"Then deny Mapleshade!" gasped Wrensong; how stupid was this tom?

Suddenly, Breezepelt was buffeted back by some unknown force. He gasped, yowling, "Mapleshade!" as he was thrown to the ground. Wrensong watched, gaping, as an invisible cat was clawing her mate, with no signs of stopping. Breezepelt yowled in fury and attacked back at the cat called Mapleshade. His eyes shone with a fury that Wrensong had never seen; and the striped she-cat realized that she would never want to meet Breezepelt in battle. He was an astounding warrior.

He seemed to have Mapleshade pinned to the ground. "I'll kill you!" He snarled. "And this time, you won't be able to get out of that Passed world or whatever! You'll be gone forever, and you can never harm or distort another cat again! You deserve to die!" Breezepelt brought up an unsheathed claw and ripped it down. There was a cold satisfaction that glimmered in his eyes as he raked the invisible cat, snarling.

Then, the black warrior stood up, his eyes troubled. "She could come into the real world," He murmured quietly. "I didn't think she had the strength. She tried to possess you but... I stopped her." Breezepelt looked down. "She's gone."

Wrensong tilted her head, still confused on what exactly just happened. "So... she's... gone? Just like that?" She curled her lip. "Kind of... convenient, huh? Right when we were talking about her, she swoops in and you seem to kill her."

Breezepelt's eyes flashed. "I'm not lying!" He hissed, his fur beginning to bristle aggressively. Wrensong could tell he wasn't lying because of the passion in his eyes... but it still seemed strange. "I saved you and killed her! Happy?"

"I-I..." Wrensong mewed, flustered. "I just didn't think it'd be so fast..." She padded up to her mate and rested her muzzle on his shoulder. He wrapped his tail around her protectively and brought her in. "I'm sorry, Breezepelt," Wrensong whispered. "For doubting you... I didn't realize how brave you were." She licked Breezepelt's bristled fur, and the tom closed his eyes for a moment.

"It's okay," He mewed at last, lightly licking her forehead. "I would've been confused, too. But I promise I'll never step foot in the Dark Forest again; for your sake and for my kits'."

"Promise?" whispered Wrensong.

"Promise," Breezepelt murmured.

* * *

At dawn the next day, Wrensong emerged from the tunnels and set out on a brisk pace towards her camp. She had stayed with Breezepelt that night, but what he had told her was bothering her. If Freezestar had combined RiverClan with WindClan to create this 'IceClan', Rowanstar had to be notified immediately. She didn't want to fight Breezepelt's Clan, but she had no choice. This was a threat for everyone, and she vowed to herself to stay away from her mate in battle.

On the way, a magpie scent hit her nostrils. Wrensong decided that any prey was prey in leaf-bare, and she had to have an excuse for being out of camp, anyway. She couldn't just stroll in and expect to be treated like a goddess because of her power. It was clear that Rowanstar wouldn't give her any special treatment, and Wrensong decided not to push her luck.

The magpie was an easy catch; it was slow and old, yet fat enough for a cat to have a decent meal. Wrensong ducked under the bramble entrance as she padded into camp and immediately veered towards Rowanstar's den. She decided it would be best to say she got Breezepelt's information from a dream instead of from Breezepelt himself; she could not be caught sneaking around with a WindClan warrior.

"Rowanstar!" She mewed, tossing her catch on the freshkill pile and dashing into his den. The leader was busy grooming himself, and looked flustered when Wrensong arrived without his permission. "Er... sorry," stammered Wrensong, feeling awkward. "But I had a dream, and it's very important."

"Tell me," ordered Rowanstar, continuing to groom himself. His ears and eyes were angled towards Wrensong, so she knew he was listening to her. Wrensong repeated Breezepelt's story about IceClan, but left out unnecessary details like Owlwhisker's death and how Freezestar planned to infect ThunderClan with greencough. That would make it too obvious that Wrensong had heard the account from another cat.

Immediately upon hearing what Wrensong said, Rowanstar looked up from his grooming, his eyes wide. "StarClan showed you this?"

"Yes," confirmed Wrensong. _The lie's better for both of our Clans. StarClan won't care._

"Do you know if they plan on attacking ShadowClan?" He asked sharply, his tail twitching.

"Uh - no," Wrensong admitted sheepishly; she had thought the noble ShadowClan leader would want to attack IceClan right away and kill Freezestar, but apparently he cared about his Clan's safety more. Wrensong respected this decision, but wanted to rid of IceClan immediately.

Rowanstar shrugged. "Then we really have no reason to attack," He mewed. "We'll confront Freezestar about it at the next Gathering, but there's nothing I can do. We'd be outnumbered if we attacked, and it sounds like Freezestar's a pretty formidable fighter. I don't think we're ready yet."

"But they threaten our Clan!" Wrensong protested. Didn't Rowanstar see that IceClan would eventually attack them? "What if they attack ThunderClan next? Then we'd be so outnumbered that we'd be forced to join them. We have to do something, Rowanstar!"

The ginger leader looked thoughtful for a moment. "It very well may be that they attack ThunderClan next," Rowanstar agreed. "Or maybe us, if they're camp is based in RiverClan territory. You're right; they could be a threat. Thank you for the warning, Wrensong, but I must ask you to leave now. I have to discuss this with my senior warriors."

Wrensong dipped her head as she left her leader's den, her mind racing. _I'm trying all I can, Breezepelt, _Her mind whispered. _I'll save you from this. After this, you'll be the greatest leader WindClan has ever seen._


	25. T w e n t y T h r e e

**The Legacy of the Three: Chapter Twenty Three**

_Leafstorm ._

The mottled tom paced in the Cross, eagerly awaiting his mate. The moonlight made his mottled golden-brown fur a mottled silver; for a moment the tom admired his fur, purring to himself, then he remembered that his mate would be coming soon. Impatiently, he began to thump his tail on the ground. _Where's Grassfeather? She was supposed to be here at dusk, and now it's moonhigh._

"Leafstorm!" A high voice breathed from one of the tunnels. Immediately, Leafstorm hurried over to the tunnel that his mate was emerging from and began to purr. His tail was high up. He could not wait for his mate any longer; her pale gray fur, almost silver... her green eyes...

Grassfeather pounced on him as she entered the Cross. Leafstorm yowled in delight and allowed her to bowl him over. The tom's eyes narrowed in confusion; Grassfeather seemed much heavier then she had three days ago. Was there a surplus of rabbits on the moor? "You seem heavier," Leafstorm mewed, his voice muffled by her fur.

She stood up and took a step back from him, her eyes shining with delight and a strange emotion that Leafstorm couldn't place. "Of course, furball!" Grassfeather laughed, her green eyes playful. She flicked her pale gray tail towards her bulging stomach. "Haven't you been noticing? Leafstorm, I'm going to have our kits!"

Leafstorm smiled at her; a twisted, almost forced smile. _Oh, StarClan, how can I ever be a loyal warrior when I have halfClan kits? _He reminded himself that his father was halfClan, but that wasn't the point. He wasn't discriminating against halfClan cats; he was a quarter WindClan, but he didn't think he could bear watching his kits grow up in another Clan. "That's great, Grassfeather!" He mewed, licking her cheek affectionately. "Wh-what did you tell the Clan?"

Grassfeather shrugged and flicked her tail on his muzzle. "A she-cat doesn't have to say the father of her kits, rabbit-brain. Most fathers just want strong kits, so they mate with the she-cat and leave. For our Clan, at least. She-cats who don't reveal the father of their kits isn't uncommon."

"Oh," Leafstorm mewed, feeling relieved. "Alright, then. That's good. In ThunderClan it really isn't like that, I mean, Cinderheart's father didn't know his father - "

Leafstorm pulled through that night with Grassfeather. It wasn't as blissful before; it was more awkward. By the end of their meeting, Grassfeather could tell that Leafstorm felt uneasy about the kits. Instead of staying in the Cross for the night like they usually did, they said their goodbyes as the first streaks of dawn began to light up the sky.

_I've betrayed my Clan. I don't want to raise half-breeds..._ Leafstorm thought as he exited the tunnels, where all of his troubles seemed to start.

Upon returning to the camp with a rabbit clutched in his jaws, Leafstorm immediately trotted to the warriors' den to get a wink of sleep. Some other warriors were in there, but Leafstorm noticed that Honeytail, Squirrelflight, and Rosepetal were all gone. _Must be on the dawn patrol,_ He thought with a shrug, settling down to go to sleep.

* * *

_He was in a strange place. It wasn't StarClan, that was for sure. Dark trees surrounded him, and mist shrouded the rank-smelling forest. There was no scent of prey or cats; just the scent of decay and... evil. Curiously, Leafstorm padded forward, confused on where exactly he was. He kept walking forward, weaving through the trees, until he came upon a clearing. His ears pricking with interest at the scent of cat-scent, Leafstorm bounded into the clearing, curious as to what he would find._

_A spiky-furred, huge gray tom sat in the middle of the clearing, his amber eyes glowing softly. "What do we have here?" He purred, almost to himself. He got to his paws and circled Leafstorm, a grin on his face. "Ah, I see. Lionblaze's son, aren't you? The special one? What are you doing in a _terrible_ place like this?"_

_Leafstorm shrugged, trying to keep his eyes cool. "Just seeing what this place is," He mewed, sounding unconcerned. "I'm not even sure where I am, to be honest."_

_The gray tom's face split into a wide grin. "You have probably heard bad things about this place, Leafstorm," Leafstorm was surprised that the tom knew his name. _That must mean I'm famous and special, _Leafstorm thought with a grin. "It is the Place of No Stars; or, the Dark Forest. My name is Thistleclaw. We're kin, in fact. You're my great-great-grandson." _

_"Funny," Leafstorm mewed. "I've never heard any mention of us being kin."_

_"Well, we are," growled Thistleclaw, lashing his tail as if it didn't matter. "Anyway, I'm so happy you're here, Leafstorm. Has StarClan been mentoring you, to help prepare you for the coming trouble? Or have they even told you about the other three cats you must find?"_

_Leafstorm shook his head, bewildered; why was a dark warrior like Thistleclaw questioning him like this? If Leafstorm wasn't so interested in what the gray warrior had to say, he'd have left by now. _StarClan brought me here for a reason, and I'll find out what it is, _Leafstorm thought, determined._

_"They haven't?" Thistleclaw seemed very concerned. "Oh, you poor cat! Maybe... I can help," Thistleclaw's face lit up with a smirk. "I can give you training to prepare for the danger coming. I can save your loved ones. You may think you're a good warrior, Leafstorm, but there's still much for you to learn."_

_Leafstorm curled his lip. "Yeah?" He asked, unsheathing his claws. How dare a lowlife cat like Thistleclaw insult him like this! Leafstorm probably could take him on any day! "Like what? I have a power that you don't, and I could easily defeat you and all of your little cronies scurrying around here."_

_Thistleclaw snorted. "Ha, maybe so, but what if you have to fight a cat with powers as well? A cat that can control your move, or a cat that moves with astonishing speed, who can easily dart through your slow-motion trick? Or what even a cat that can turn into any cat he wants, including yourself? What will you do then, if you have to fight your own power?"_

_The mottled brown and gold warrior growled. "I'd like to see them try!" He laughed harshly. "But what are you offering me? If I train with you, what do you get out of it? Is this some kind of trick?"_

_"Not at all," Thistleclaw smiled, looking innocent. "I'll just get the joy of training with my kin. But you, Leafstorm... you'll be the most powerful warrior in the forest! Even more powerful than your father!"_

_Leafstorm widened his eyes. The offer tempted him. "Really?" He asked. The ThunderClan warrior was about to say he agreed when a frantic voice started to call his name. Thistleclaw hissed in annoyance as Leafstorm hopped up and dashed from the clearing, wondering who the cat was._

_"Leafstorm, over here!" The voice called. Leafstorm approached it cautiously. The cat was a StarClan warrior; it was obvious because of the glow of their fur. She was a blue-gray she-cat with striking blue eyes. "Follow me, young one!" She called and bounded away into the forest._

_Leafstorm glanced back towards the clearing; Thistleclaw had gone. Confused, Leafstorm sprinted after the blue-gray she-cat. "Hello?" He called, annoyed. "What do you want?" _

_The dark trees started to thin as the mist dissolved away; everything was replaced by starry trees and lush forests. With a jolt, Leafstorm realized that he was in StarClan territory now, and the Place of No Stars was behind him. The blue-gray she-cat observed him from on top of a tree, her blue eyes narrowed._

_"Don't trust him," She mewed simply._

_"Wha - ?" Leafstorm started to mew, but a black wave reared up and crashed over him; throwing the tom into darkness._

* * *

"Leafstorm, wake up, it's urgent,"

Leafstorm blinked open his eyes immediately. Emberwing's amber eyes filled his vision, and Leafstorm flinched back out of habit. The older warrior was prodding his side gently, trying to wake up the sleeping mottled tom. "Emberwing?" Leafstorm asked, confused and tired. "Wh-why did you wake me up...?"

Emberwing stood up and flicked his dark gray tail towards Jayfeather's den. "Lionblaze is really ill in there. They say its greencough. Jayfeather wants you in there immediately." When Emberwing mentioned his father, Leafstorm sprang up from his nest and observed the warrior, wide-eyed. After he finished, Leafstorm didn't hesitate sprinting towards the medicine cat den, his fur on end. Lionblaze was fine yesterday, what had happened?

He nearly crashed into Lilystripe as he dashed into the medicine cats' den. "Hey!" She yowled angrily as herbs spilled all over. "What in StarClan, Leafstorm! What are you doing in here? You're going to get sick!" The dark tabby was looking at Leafstorm crossly. Flustered, Leafstorm helped the medicine cat apprentice gather the herbs together.

"What do you mean?" He growled as he was picking them up. "My father's ill, and I've come to see him. Surely his sickness can't be that bad?"

"I - " Lilystripe mewed as she hurriedly stuffed her herbs into the stone wall. "Leafstorm, there's more cats in there, you know. The greencough has spread like wildfire, literally, it happened overnight..." Leafstorm didn't allow her to finish; he was already in the den where his father was before she finished her sentence.

Lionblaze looked nothing like the warrior Leafstorm had fought in the forest a half-moon before. Honeytail and Cinderheart were huddled there, crouched around Lionblaze. Out of the corner of his eye, Leafstorm saw that Dewtail, Berrynose, and Amberflower were huddled at the edge of the den; their coughs feeble.

On the other side of the den lay Emberfoot, the tom who had begged Jayfeather to take care of his sickness because WindClan didn't have the cure. The Clan was hesitant, but Emberfoot spoke of a terrible horror unleashing on WindClan. Jayfeather had questioned Emberfoot on what Kestrelflight was doing, but Emberfoot had said that the WindClan camp was in such horror that Kestrelflight and Whiskerfur had died. The ThunderClan cats, taking pity, accepted him into their camp only for treatment.

"Lionblaze?" Leafstorm rasped. His father looked up at his son sadly with dull, tired eyes. Leafstorm whipped around to face Jayfeather, who was treating a coughing Dewtail. "Why aren't you doing anything?" He snarled. "Your own brother is dying, but you're not even curing him!"

Jayfeather turned around and bared his teeth at Leafstorm. "You don't think I'm trying, fox-brain? I'm doing everything I can, alright! But half the Clan is coughing, and I can't do anything about it! Herbs can only do so much!"

"Then go pray to StarClan or something!" Leafstorm yowled at the blind medicine cat. "Your apprentice is just standing around! If herbs can only do so much, stuff more in his mouth!"

"I need to save some for the other cats," growled Jayfeather, pointedly turning his back to Leafstorm. "Lionblaze is my brother, but it's leaf-bare, and we hardly have enough catmint as it is. His and my destiny are over."

"The Clan will be flayed without his fighting skills!" Leafstorm hissed into Jayfeather's ear.

"Yeah? I thought you were even better, or are you just extremely arrogant?" snarled Jayfeather. "Look, if you're so upset about your father dying, how about you go talk to him? Or be useful and help around the camp? There's nothing I can do about a dying cat, even if it's my brother."

Leafstorm hissed and returned to his father's frail body. Honeytail was comforting Cinderheart, who was gasping and sobbing as Lionblaze grew weaker with every cough. "Leafstorm," The great golden warrior managed to rasp, looking up at his son with his amber eyes.

"Don't die," whispered Leafstorm, crouching down to murmur into his father's ear. "Lionblaze, I thought you were invincible... please don't die. I still need you here. Jayfeather and Dovewing need you... Cinderheart needs you... Honeytail needs you... ThunderClan needs you, Dad, you can't die!"

Lionblaze coughed feebly. "There's something I must tell you..." He whispered. "A-a great danger... coming to the forest... be strong..." His paws flailed as he tried to collect the energy to finish what he was saying. Leafstorm let out a low wail and pressed his muzzle to his father's fur. "I'm not dead yet," Lionblaze muttered fiercely, "Listen to me. I saw you training with Thistleclaw..." He coughed; this cough weaker than the last, "Don't be tempted. Find the other three... protect..." Cough. "ThunderClan. You are my son..." He opened his jaws to cough, but he didn't have the energy. Suddenly, his rasping breaths died, and his eyes rolled back; glazed.

"No!" wailed Leafstorm, shaking his father. "Lionblaze, please wake up!" When his mother and sister realized what had happened, they dashed over to Lionblaze and let out low yowls of grief. The great warrior who had saved the Clans around the lake countless times was gone.

* * *

The whole Clan had grieved over Lionblaze. Leafstorm and his family had sat vigil with Lionblaze all night, but Jayfeather couldn't. Emberfoot was well enough to leave, but there were still cats that were close to dying. In the middle of the vigil, Jayfeather dragged out Amberflower's limp body. Brightheart's wails could be heard from the elder's den.

It was sad, too; Bramblestar had assessed Featherpaw and Flamepaw today, and they were ready to become warriors. Bramblestar had promised, so in the midst of the grieving Clan, Bramblestar had conducted the ceremony. Leafstorm was still very upset about his father, but he decided that he would support Featherpaw and Flamepaw, too.

The Clan was already gathered in mourning for Dewtail and Lionblaze, so Bramblestar didn't need to call a meeting. He simply leaped up to the Highledge and yowled, then made his way down the ledge so he could give the two siblings their warrior ceremony. Leafstorm spotted Dovewing, her face fresh with grief over Lionblaze, supporting her kits. Her eyes grieved, but a flicker of pride emerged in them when she looked at Featherpaw and Flamepaw.

"Flamepaw, step forward," commanded Bramblestar. With an arrogant raise of his nose, the ginger tabby stepped forward. "I, Bramblestar, leader of ThunderClan, call upon my warrior ancestors to look down on this apprentice. He has trained hard to understand the ways of your noble code, and I commend him to you as a warrior in his turn. Flamepaw, do you promise to uphold the warrior code and to protect and defend your Clan, even at the cost of your life?"

"I do," Flamepaw raised his nose even higher in the air.

"Then by the powers of StarClan, I give you your warrior name. Flamepaw, from this moment you will be known as Flameclaw. StarClan honors your strength and bravery, and we welcome you as a full warrior of ThunderClan." Bramblestar declared, his amber eyes flashing as he rested his muzzle on the warrior's shoulder.

Flameclaw's blue eyes glittered as the Clan greeted him with his new name. "Flameclaw! Flameclaw!" He went over to sit with Leafstorm, nodding to him in a motion that declared they were equals now. Flameclaw annoyed Leafstorm constantly although they were friends; the mottled tom wasn't looking forward to having him in the warriors' den.

"Featherpaw, step forward," mewed Bramblestar. The petite apprentice stepped forward, her blue eyes blazing with excitement. "I, Bramblestar, leader of ThunderClan, call upon my warrior ancestors to look down on this apprentice. She has trained hard to understand the ways of your noble code, and I commend her to you as a warrior in his turn." Bramblestar's eyes were warm when he looked at Featherpaw. "Featherpaw, do you promise to uphold the warrior code and to protect and defend your Clan, even at the cost of your life?"

"I do," Featherpaw's high-pitched mew rang across the hollow.

"Then by the powers of StarClan, I give you your warrior name. Featherpaw, from this moment you will be known as Featherwing. StarClan honors your enthusiasm and kindness, and we welcome you as a full warrior of ThunderClan." Featherwing bounded forward to lick Bramblestar's shoulder as the Clan joyously called out her name. Featherwing was popular because of her sweet and caring attitude, and Leafstorm didn't think she had one enemy in the Clan.

At that moment, Ivypool and Foxleap's kits came tumbling out of the nursery. Larchkit and Fernkit looked onto the ceremony with huge eyes; the two were five moons now, so it would almost be time for them to be apprentices. Leafstorm hoped that Bramblestar would choose him as a mentor, he had taken a special interest in Larchkit. Larchkit was a serious-minded tom, and Leafstorm knew he would be easy to train. "Featherwing! Flameclaw!" called Fernkit, Larchkit joining in.

Blackkit, the kit of Amberflower and Moleclaw, followed them cautiously. He was bound to have his apprentice ceremony anytime soon. The kit was a mostly black tom with a strange white streak across one eye. Leafstorm thought his appearance was interesting, but Blackkit seemed very shy; and Leafstorm didn't usually do well with shy cats.

"Hey," Featherwing mewed from behind him. Leafstorm whirled around and smiled at his friend.

"Hey, Featherwing!" He narrowed his eyes playfully. "Aren't you supposed to be keeping vigil?"

Featherwing's blue eyes lit up. "Oh, gosh!" She exclaimed, then quickly covered her mouth with her tail. The silver tabby was about to mew something, but cut herself off and rushed to the camp entrance, Flameclaw following. He carried a note of seniority to the other cats that Leafstorm didn't like. Sure, they were friends; but they were both arrogant, which caused them to clash a lot. But there was one difference, Leafstorm thought; Leafstorm could back up his arrogance while Flameclaw couldn't. He snickered to himself.

The warriors ceremony had been a nice distraction to every cats' grieving, but now the cats of ThunderClan were beginning to sit vigil for their friends again. From the corner of his eye, Leafstorm saw Bluestrike rise and hurry over to the medicine cat den, coughing. Her and Dewtail had been a little more than close, and Leafstorm suspected it was a coverup for her grieving. _Coward._

As the mottled tom gazed at his father, he wondered what his father had been trying to say to him. How did he know he was in the Dark Forest? And how did he know which cat he had visited? _I wasn't even training, _Leafstorm thought bitterly, _I was just talking to him. My father has nothing to get worked up over._

But Leafstorm knew deep in his heart that Lionblaze did not waste words; so his final mews must have meant something.

A yowl coming from Moleclaw interrupted his thoughts. Leafstorm glanced wildly around and saw enemy cats smelling of WindClan and RiverClan dropping from all directions. Immediately, Leafstorm unsheathed his claws; ThunderClan was under attack, and they had just lost their greatest warrior!


	26. T w e n t y F o u r

**The Legacy of the Three: Chapter Twenty Four**

_Wrensong ._

The sun had set; Wrensong was not meeting Breezepelt tonight. They both agreed that Breezepelt needed to focus on his duties now that he was deputy, and he couldn't be caught sneaking out of camp. Wrensong didn't want Breezepelt to get in trouble with Freezestar, so she didn't have a problem with the suggestion. She realized that most cats in her Clan must think she goes on the dawn patrol every day; Wrensong was never around during dawn or dusk because of her meetings with Breezepelt.

She was sharing a rabbit with Mousepelt, who had recently moved into the nursery. The sandy she-cat's belly was huge, and Wrensong knew it would be a matter of days before she kitted. "Aren't you scared?" Wrensong asked as she swallowed a mouthful of rabbit. The rabbit had been a rarity; Wrensong had never tasted one. Her and Redpaw caught it together, but Redpaw didn't want to eat the rabbit, and neither did any other cat, so Wrensong decided to try it. It was surprisingly good. "Of kitting?"

Mousepelt shrugged. The she-cat had always been like Wrensong; more laid-back and easygoing; not as high-maintenance as other apprentices. Wrensong wasn't scared of kitting, exactly; she was just worrying about all of the things that could go wrong. "Kind of," Mousepelt admitted, flicking her tail nervously at the subject, "But I trust Littlecloud, even though he's old. He's probably done a bunch of kittings, so I suppose I'll be alright."

Wrensong glanced nervously at the old medicine cat. Wrensong and Mousepelt were sharing prey beside the medicine cats' den, so Wrensong could hear the little elder teaching Lightpaw all about herbs. Lightpaw and his sister, Nettlepaw, had just been apprenticed today. Mousepelt was right, the pale golden tom had been StarClan's choice for a medicine cat. "I just hope Littlecloud doesn't die before Lightpaw is ready to become a medicine cat," Wrensong murmured, low enough so that Littlecloud couldn't hear her.

Mousepelt nodded gravely. "He's a brave little one, Littlecloud. You shouldn't underestimate him. Remember when Kinkfur would tell us all about how he was a kit-apprentice when Brokenstar led? He must be pretty fierce if he had to fight all of those battles as a kit and live to tell the tale."

Wrensong distractedly agreed with her friend; Hawkstrike was staring at her from across the clearing. Uncomfortably Wrensong twitched an ear. Kinkfur had raised Hawkstrike, Wrensong and Mousepelt together, so the three had a very close bond. Until Hawkstrike shattered that by calling Wrensong halfClan.

"What's up?" Mousepelt asked, noticing how her friend seemed extremely distracted now. Wrensong saw Mousepelt follow her friend's glanced and saw they led to Hawkstrike. The sandy queen narrowed her eyes thoughtfully. "I thought you guys were in a fight," She mewed, confusion in her amber eyes.

"We are," Wrensong muttered, chewing on her rabbit bite. "At least, I'm still mad at him. He keeps trying to make things up, but, I don't know..." _I shouldn't be too harsh on Hawkstrike in front of his_ _sister_... "It's whatever. How's Falconwing been about the kits?" Wrensong hadn't seen her former mentor for awhile ever since his blowup, and she was wondering how he was doing. It still hurt that Falconwing hadn't trusted her ever since her halfClan heritage came out.

Mousepelt shrugged as the two finished their rabbit. "He can't wait, obviously, but... I don't know. I'm afraid how he'll raise the kits, to be honest. Ever since you were discovered to be halfClan, he's been all weird. He's telling me that all halfClan cats will turn against us, so he needs to prepare our kits for that." Mousepelt rolled her eyes, obviously not believing her mate. "I think he's just being ignorant."

Wrensong felt an icy claw rip through her stomach. Did her old mentor really feel like that? He had been fine with her being a rogue, but suddenly the thought of his former apprentice being halfClan signaled that she would start an army to destroy all of the Clans. These days, all cats were halfClan, so Wrensong didn't see the big deal. "I-I think I've lost my appetite," Wrensong mewed, padding back to the warriors' den. "I'll, uh, catch up with you later, Mousepelt."

She felt bad to ditch her friend, but Wrensong knew that Mousepelt would understand. Mousepelt hadn't really cared when Wrensong was ignoring her for Hawkstrike, anyway. Immediately as Wrensong curled up on her nest, she fell into a dark pit of exhaustion.

* * *

_This time, Wrensong wasn't at the border. She was in StarClan's land. It was a nice place, but honestly, Wrensong was tired of being here. It was like every night she had to come to these hunting grounds; couldn't her ancestors just die in peace and leave the living cats alone? They can sort their own problems out without a bunch of dead cats yowling prophecies here and there._

_Blackstar padded out of the ferns, the starlight making his white fur shine. His huge black paws contrasted with the rest of his muscular, white body. His blue eyes narrowed as he frowned at Wrensong. "You haven't found the cat I hinted you about, and now your Clan is in even more danger."_

_Wrensong was on her paws immediately, glaring at the former ShadowClan leader. "Can you stop being so vague and tell me what you mean? I don't even remember what your dumb hint was, it was about some leaves changing time. How am I supposed to go off of that? Cats aren't leaves; their cats!"_

_"ShadowClan will now be destroyed!" snarled Blackstar, his icy blue eyes blazing with anger. "ThunderClan has fallen under Freezestar's paws! You are the only Clan that can stop him, and you're hopelessly outnumbered! Freezestar will attack and destroy ShadowClan in days, even if you find the other three cats! The cat I told you about last time could have been the difference between destruction and survival."_

_"Then tell me the cat's name!" Wrensong shot back, trying to sound as angry as Blackstar. It wasn't her fault that a bunch of dead cats were bossing her around, she had much better things to do. "Instead of being all secretive, tell me one of the three! You're not going to lose anything from it, you're already dead!"_

_"You have to figure these things out on your own!" Blackstar lashed his tail. "I'm not here to hold your paw, Wrensong! Personally, I would've chosen a different cat for the destiny you have! Maybe one that would take things seriously. None of the Four are taking this prophecy seriously enough!" He turned his back on Wrensong. "Such a waste," He growled, padding into the ferns. "The Clans will be destroyed, and it'll be your fault."_

_"No!" roared Wrensong, springing after him. This dead leader wasn't going to get away with being all snarky and rude to her; he was just as much to blame. "It's StarClan's fault for being so ridiculously vague! All you do is spew out prophecies and sit back and let us deal with them! At least _help_ us."_

_Blackstar whirled around at her, his facial expression twisted into one of pure menace. Wrensong snarled and got into a fighting position, but was bowled over by a ginger tom with flaming emerald eyes. "Stop this!" He howled, pushing Blackstar back. As Wrensong recovered to her feet, she recognized Firestar, the former leader of ThunderClan. "Quarreling will not help us!"_

_He turned to Wrensong. "You. Don't disrespect StarClan like that. We've faced the same confusion as you with prophecies when we lived, so that gives you no excuse to treat your elders in such a manner." Wrensong began to protest, but Firestar whirled around and turned to Blackstar. "And you. Remember, we're supposed to help the Four? I know young cats can be annoying, but ShadowClan is in danger, right?" Blackstar nodded, his eyes narrowed. Wrensong knew he wasn't happy being bossed around by another cat. "Then provide her with help." _

_"Fine," spat Blackstar, glaring at Firestar. "I don't know why Raggedstar couldn't deal with this brat, but I'm stuck with her. Whatever." He turned to Wrensong. "Watch out for disappearing warriors, young one," His voice had turned surprisingly soft and distant. "And find the cat who represents the leaves of changing time. Go on. You're intelligent, figure it out." _

_Blackstar's icy blue eyes and Firestar's emerald green ones burned into her vision as a wave of darkness engulfed her, washing her back into reality._

* * *

Wrensong pushed herself to her paws as she awoke; it was sunhigh. _Redpaw's lucky I had such a disturbing dream, I let the arrogant little apprentice sleep in. _She trotted out into the camp and looked around, searching for Redpaw. Most cats were gathered around Tigerheart, listening for their patrols, but Redpaw wasn't among them. Wrensong veered towards the apprentices' den and saw Redpaw scuffling his paws by the nettle patch where the apprentices shared their freshkill.

"Hey, Redpaw," She mewed, bounding up to her apprentice. Redpaw looked at her with wide amber eyes; he obviously wasn't expecting his mentor to be around. "I'm going to assess your hunting today, alright? Not tree hunting, just ground hunting."

Redpaw nodded and got onto his paws, looking apprehensive. The apprentice was a good hunter but a better fighter; Wrensong wasn't concerned for him, though. He was silent and stealthy, his attitude just needed work. Whenever he caught prey he would brag loudly, scaring all of the other prey around him. Wrensong hoped that this solo hunting mission would help with Redpaw's cockiness. "Sounds great!" He mewed, narrowing his eyes. "I'll be sure to impress you."

They were about to leave the camp when Darkpaw came skidding through the bramble entrance, his eyes wide. "Redpaw!" He gasped, dashing over to his brother. "Have you seen Cloverpaw anywhere? We were hunting together with Scorchfur and Hawkstrike, and then we split up, and she's not anywhere!" The poor apprentice's voice was turning into a wail. "We've been looking since dawn!"

Wrensong had trained with Cloverpaw many times, and she knew the she-cat was a serious-minded apprentice that wouldn't be the cat to be lost. "Have you tracked her scent?" She asked Darkpaw. "Or checked around the camp? I haven't seen her anywhere around here, but how about you tell Tigerheart?"

"O-okay," Darkpaw stammered, still looking concerned. "Will you help us find her?"

"Where did you last see her?" Redpaw inquired, his eyes narrowed in thought. "Wrensong and I can run out and follow her scent."

"We were by the shore," Darkpaw mewed, having trouble thinking where his sister was last. "We were by the Towering Pines, hunting by ourselves. Scorchfur and Hawkstrike were collecting our prey. I was focused on hunting a rabbit, and I heard a scuffle and a hiss. I thought it was Cloverpaw cursing that she missed her prey, but suddenly she wasn't there..." Obviously, the tom was getting so worked up that he could hardly process Redpaw's question.

"Alright, thanks, Darkpaw," Wrensong lightly touched her tail on the trembling apprentice's shoulder. "We'll find her, don't worry."

"I hope," Darkpaw mumbled as Wrensong and Redpaw bounded out of the camp.

"Okay, Redpaw," Wrensong mewed. "Can you go find Hawkstrike and Scorchfur? Tell them that Darkpaw alerted the camp, and find out where they're scenting for Cloverpaw, or if they're scenting at all. I'll be by the Towering Pines, so once you tell them that, find me there." For once, the ginger apprentice nodded obediently and dashed into the trees.

Narrowing her eyes, Wrensong bounded towards the Towering Pines. The Towering Pines were the tallest pines in the forest, and if you climbed to the very top, you had an incredible view of the lake and the territories beyond. They were two pines of around the same height. Since ShadowClan was on a taller slope than ThunderClan, you could even see ThunderClan's territory. Once, Wrensong had been dared to climb to the top by Hawkstrike and spotted a RiverClan patrol.

As she arrived at the Towering Pines, she opened her mouth to catch Cloverpaw's scent. There! It was by the bushes on one side of the taller Towering Pine. Wrensong felt sickened as she smelled fear-scent coming off of the apprentice. When she reached out her senses further, she discovered another cat scent with it; a stench that smelled of RiverClan with a dash of WindClan and the tiniest hint of ThunderClan.

_No! _The scent was fresh, as if Cloverpaw had just been taken away. Snarling with rage, Wrensong pursued the scent; it was leading her to the lakeshore. There were no trees down here, so Wrensong had a clear view of the rest of the shore, from here to ThunderClan. Farther down, a white tom was dragging a light brown tabby shape down the shore. Wrensong recognized the cat immediately. Cloverpaw!

Yowling, Wrensong dashed down the shore as fast as she could. The white tom couldn't escape or run as fast; he had the burden of carrying Cloverpaw in his mouth. Wrensong glanced up at the forest; she was nearing the border now. _You can't think about that!_ Her mind told her. _An apprentice is being taken by an enemy Clan! _Snarling, when she was in close range, Wrensong leaped on top of the white tom, who smelled of ThunderClan.

His amber eyes widened and at the last second, he leaped to the side, evading Wrensong. "You're on ThunderClan territory!" He snarled, his amber eyes flaming. "Get out! I have a patrol right up there that won't hesitate to rip your fur off!"

"Wrensong!" gasped Cloverpaw, her green eyes wide. "Help!"

"You have taken one of our apprentices!" growled Wrensong. "I don't care about borders; you'll give her back, now!" Not waiting for an answer, Wrensong leaped at the white tom, scoring her claws across his face. He yowled in fury, letting go of Cloverpaw, who dashed back to ShadowClan territory at once.

"Go!" Wrensong yowled after her. "I'll stay back and fight!"

The small apprentice flicked her tail to signal that she heard, and Wrensong was faced fighting the white tom alone. She tried to make a dash for ShadowClan territory, but the white tom jumped on top of her and grabbed her scruff. "No way!" He snarled. "You let the apprentice go, I take you!" Growling, Wrensong twisted around and kicked out her back legs, making the white tom gasp in pain. She immediately leaped on top of him and started taking out all of the fur she could reach for.

Once she thought the tom had learned his lesson, she made a mad dash for ShadowClan territory. As she was about to cross the border, she felt a large weight land on top of her. "Oh, no, sister, you're not getting away this time," A voice snarled in her ear. Wrensong could hear the cockiness leaking out of it and recognized Flamepaw.

"Get off, Flamepaw!" She snarled, writhing under his grasp. He had grown bigger, though, and easily held her down. Suddenly, Wrensong felt another cat jump on top of her as another grabbed her scruff.

"It's not Flamepaw anymore, ShadowClan scumbag, it's Flame_claw_," hissed Flameclaw, his blue eyes blazing as he bit down on her tail. Wrensong yowled in fury and pain. She tried to use her powers against Flameclaw, but she was being surrounded and bitten and scratched by too many cats; her mind was confused.

"We'll take her with us," growled a voice Wrensong recognized as Bumblestripe. He sounded nervous and a bit ashamed. Wrensong tried to writhe free again, but there were about four ThunderClan cats holding her down. Wrensong sighed in defeat; she couldn't escape. "She's not an apprentice, but Freezestar will still be happy that we captured a ShadowClan cat."

"Help!" Wrensong called out into the woods. She was right by the ShadowClan border, so some cats had to have heard her. Hawkstrike, Scorchfur and Redpaw were searching for Cloverpaw in that area. "Please, help me, I'm being taken!" Flameclaw bowled her aside, covering her mouth with his paw.

"Shut up, foxdung," He hissed.

Two cats crashed out of the pines, and Wrensong heard Flameclaw curse under his breath. One of the cats was Redpaw, who bared his teeth and unsheathed his claws ferociously, and the other was Hawkstrike, his eyes narrowed in menace. "Let the she-cat go," He snarled.

Even before the battle started, Wrensong knew the ShadowClan cats were hopelessly outnumbered. At least seven ThunderClan cats were in this patrol, and there were only three ShadowClan cats. Wrensong recognized this immediately, and bowed her head. "Don't fight," She mumbled, knowing she could always escape because of her powers, "You're outnumbered. It's not worth it. I'll go back to the camp."

"No!" howled Hawkstrike, charging at the ThunderClan warriors. Wrensong felt a few claws leave her as three cats took on Hawkstrike at once. She could only stare in horror as the ThunderClan cats nearly ripped her friend apart, knocking him unconscious when they tossed a stone on his head.

Redpaw was the only cat left. He stared in horror as Hawkstrike was knocked out, and for a moment Wrensong thought he was going to run back to camp. But the ginger apprentice then narrowed his eyes at the ThunderClan warriors. "You'll pay!" He snarled, preparing to leap. Wrensong could hear the ThunderClan cats chuckling behind her as the tiny ShadowClan apprentice launched himself at the cats holding down Wrensong.

"I've got him," Flameclaw growled, hopping on top of Redpaw and pinning him to the ground. "You gonna fight, or do I have to hurt you like your big friend over there?"

"Why are you doing this?" moaned Redpaw, closing his eyes. "I thought you were supposed to be noble."

"Yeah?" snarled Flameclaw. "Well, Freezestar threatens our she-cats unless we capture some ShadowClan cats. And our Clan should live over yours, so we're following orders." He grabbed Redpaw's scruff and nodded to the other warriors. "Let's take them back to camp. And feel free to be as rough as possible on the striped she-cat." His blue eyes locked with her green ones in a sick smile of hatred.

* * *

**AN: Wow thank you all for the nice reviews! Glad you like the story :) Just warning you guys, I'll be gone for about 3 days next week (Monday - Wednes) so no updates then! D: But I promise I'll update right after then! :) Thanks again!**

**Also~ Stoneheart's power sounds kind of lame. But it's not. ;) I actually think it might be the most powerful o: Anyway stay tuned!**


	27. T w e n t y F i v e

**The Legacy of the Three: Chapter Twenty Five**

_Stoneheart ._

Over the past few days, Freezestar had made a lot of changes. The IceClan leader was right when he said that greencough would weaken the ThunderClan camp; Lionblaze and many other warriors had died in the sickness. Taking over ThunderClan was too easy, they hardly gave up a fight. Because Freezestar believed that ThunderClan's camp was the safest, he moved the IceClan camp there. The former WindClan cats had easy access to the rabbits on their territory, but the former RiverClan cats had the most trouble hunting because their territory was too far away. They hunted some woodland prey and minnows in the streams of ThunderClan's territory, but missed their rivers and wide streams.

Bramblestar had lost three lives in the battle and by defying Freezestar. He was put in charge of former ThunderClan, like how Breezepelt was put in charge of former WindClan. IceClan's next mission was to capture ShadowClan. Freezestar knew that this would be easy because ShadowClan was outnumbered, but he wanted to make the ordeal as painful as possible. He wanted the fierce ShadowClan cats to surrender. So, he came up with an idea.

He forced all she-cats into enslavement. They would only get one piece of prey a day, and were forced to live in the old WindClan camp by themselves with the fiercest and most bloodthirsty cats to watch them. The she-cats caught all of the prey and repaired all of the camps. The nursing queens and elders were an exception. The Clans were very upset by this; but Freezestar told them for every ShadowClan apprentice they caught, three she-cats would be released, and for every ShadowClan warrior, two she-cats would be released. Of course, talks of rebellion swept through the IceClan camp like wildfire. But Freezestar had spies everywhere, so when a cat was caught planning, Stoneheart would be forced to kill them.

It was a brutal, terrible way of life. Stoneheart had killed over ten cats so far. However, before he killed any cat, he would murmur an, 'I'm sorry', into their ear, because he wanted them to know how sorry he was. Even though Freezestar wanted Stoneheart to kill cats in the most painful way possible, Stoneheart refused. He would end their lives swiftly with a quick bite to the neck. He lied to Freezestar and told him the taste of blood made him feel sick, and the IceClan leader didn't press the matter.

Stoneheart was in the middle of the clearing, watching the camp, when a capture patrol brought in three ShadowClan warriors. The capture patrols usually had around seven cats from one Clan, so ShadowClan wouldn't get too suspicious. This time, the capture patrol contained ThunderClan warriors. Stoneheart immediately approached the ThunderClan warriors. "Which cats have you captured?" He rumbled. This was the first day the capture patrols were introduced, and Stoneheart was outwardly excited about how many cats the ThunderClan warriors had captured, but inwardly he knew it was wrong.

"We knocked this one unconscious with the method Freezestar taught us," announced Flameclaw, pushing forward a massive dark brown tabby tom. Stoneheart recognized this cat immediately, they used to be friends; it was Hawkstrike. He was knocked out and looked tiny in the state he was in.

"Did you catch him?" asked Stoneheart, narrowing his eyes.

"Yes!" Flameclaw mewed instantly. The ginger tom had been eager to release his enslaved sister and mother ever since they'd been in WindClan's camp. "I caught all of them, actually. Or did most of it, but mainly the apprentice. I'd like Featherwing and Dovewing released, please."

"Fine," growled Stoneheart. "But that counts as your two. Bring the apprentice forward."

Moleclaw released the apprentice's scruff and pushed him forward. The apprentice was small, only about two moons into his apprenticeship. His blue eyes were wide and his dark ginger fur was fluffed out. Stoneheart felt badly for the poor apprentice, but he couldn't show his feelings, of course. "Alright," Stoneheart rumbled. "You get to choose three she-cats to be released, Moleclaw."

"Cherryfur, Whitewing and Rosepetal," mewed Moleclaw. Stoneheart flicked his tail; there were only about four more she-cats in ThunderClan to be released, then. The ThunderClan capture patrol had gotten lucky.

"And we caught this one, who put up quite a fight and attracted the other two," spat Emberwing, shoving a brown-striped she-cat with narrowed green eyes forward.

"Stoneheart!" she snarled.

_Wrensong!_ Stoneheart couldn't help but feel terrible; at one time, he had really liked Wrensong and was very interested in her. But they barely talked, and he couldn't display a scrap of emotion now. He had to pretend that he had never seen or heard of the ShadowClan warrior. He glanced back up to Emberwing. "Fine. Name two she-cats you'd like released."

"Squirrelflight and Blossomfall," growled Emberwing.

_Then that leaves Cinderheart, Leafpool, Ivypool, Honeytail, Hollypaw... that's it. _Stoneheart counted off the remaining ThunderClan she-cats in his head. "Fine. You three can go to WindClan's camp and take the she-cats you released back here, but only those she-cats. I know which ones will be in there, and if more are out, then I will kill them all, including the ones you have released." The three warriors nodded and dashed out of the tunnel.

"We had a part in it, too," Leafstorm growled next to Bumblestripe and Foxleap. "I'm the one who captured Wrensong, not Flameclaw. Can I release Honeytail and my mother? Without me, you wouldn't have had Wrensong."

"No," snarled Stoneheart, his blue eyes flashing. "If you want your mother and sister released, you must capture more ShadowClan cats. If you capture an apprentice and a warrior, all ThunderClan she-cats will have been released. So get on with it!" Leafstorm and Bumblestripe glared at Stoneheart, but didn't argue. They turned away towards the camp exit.

"Now," Stoneheart turned to the three prisoners. "Come with me. Wrensong, drag that cat over to your den." The dark gray warrior nodded to Hawkstrike. Her eyes flashing, Wrensong gripped the dark tabby's scruff with a snarl of defiance.

Stoneheart began to walk towards the edge of camp, where a large hole was inside of the hollow. It would be perfect for prisoners because it was so easy to guard and defend. These ShadowClan cats would never leave; he would make sure of that. He was sorry for their predicament, but he was looking forward to capturing some ShadowClan cats of his own so Stoneheart could free Streamfrost. _Even though she hates me._

"Wrensong!" gasped a voice behind Stoneheart. Stoneheart whirled around and saw Breezepelt staring at Wrensong, his eyes wide and appalled. The WindClan warrior glared at Stoneheart. "Why are you capturing ShadowClan cats?" He spat. "Can't we just attack them already and get it over with?"

"No!" the IceClan deputy snarled, "We can't, rabbit-face! This is Freezestar's orders, do you want to go against them? And how do you know these ShadowClan cats, anyway? Old friends? How about you actually do something besides moping around and capture some ShadowClan cats so we can release your daughter?"

"You captured my _daughter?_" spat Breezepelt, his hackles rising. He had been in charge of moving camps, so the black warrior wouldn't know of the recent enslavement of she-cats. "She's only an apprentice! She doesn't deserve to be running nonstop after rabbits all day with nothing to eat! This Clan is a mess! Release the she-cats at once, you gutless excuse for a deputy! Imprison the toms, not the she-cats, if you have to!"

"Shut up!" Stoneheart leaped on top of Breezepelt and raked his claws across his face. He heard Wrensong shriek behind him, but he ignored her. "It's Freezestar's Clan, not mine! If you have a problem, go and talk to Freezestar about it!"

Breezepelt glanced at the prisoners and growled, "I will! It's not worth capturing ShadowClan warriors, why don't we just fight them?" Stoneheart could see the desperation in his eyes and stepped back, assuming that Breezepelt was eager to go to battle. _I can't have Breezepelt against me, _Stoneheart decided. _He holds too much power to make him an enemy, even with Freezestar to protect me._

"Fine," He spat, pushing Breezepelt away, who scrabbled in the dust once he was released, "I'll talk to Freezestar about attacking ShadowClan. While I'm talking to him, be useful and guard the prisoners." Stoneheart gave a chilling glare to the ShadowClan cats. "They know our plans now, so they're dangerous."

Breezepelt nodded, finally agreeing with Stoneheart, and the gray deputy saw Breezepelt roughly usher the ShadowClan cats into their den. "They're to get no prey until the rest of the Clan have eaten!" called Stoneheart from over his shoulder. With IceClan's huge numbers, Stoneheart knew that these ShadowClan cats would be getting no food anytime soon. He felt a pang of guilt in his stomach when he thought of Wrensong, but he quickly pushed that away. _I can't be distracted by a stupid ShadowClan she-cat who probably already has a mate._

"Freezestar," Stoneheart mewed in a high, clear voice after he scrabbled up the hollow and emerged by his leader's den on the ledge, "It's me, Stoneheart. I've been receiving some, ah, suggestions to what we should do about ShadowClan."

There was a pause, and then Stoneheart heard his leader mew, "Come in," Swallowing his nervousness, Stoneheart padded into the den quietly, respectfully crouching and dipping his head when his leader saw him. He then sat down opposite of Freezestar, tucking his tail over his paws. "Begin," growled Freezestar.

"I've had many warriors that we both respect come up to me and offer their opinion about ShadowClan and the enslavement of the she-cats," meowed Stoneheart. "They tell me they think the enslavement of the she-cats will weaken IceClan when it comes to battle. They also are battle-hungry and are anxiously awaiting to attack ShadowClan. You know as well as I do that ShadowClan won't give in, so we're better off attacking them."

Freezestar's icy blue eyes were narrowed. Stoneheart hoped that the leader didn't suspect that Stoneheart was voicing his own fears as much as he was voicing the other cats'. He wanted his sister out of the WindClan camp as soon as possible, even if she didn't trust him. "You have a point," He growled, flicking his tail. "The she-cats are strong; we have Dovewing who will be useful, and a few others. Do you think attacking ShadowClan tonight is wise?" Freezestar fixed his icy blue stare on Stoneheart, who tried not to flinch.

Stoneheart shook his head. "No, Freezestar. ShadowClan is most active during the night, and they will have the advantage. I think we should attack tomorrow at sunhigh, when the sun is at its highest and ShadowClan is least active. Also, if we're going to release the she-cats, they need to recover before fighting, or else we might lose."

"Clever," growled Freezestar, nodding his head appreciatively. "Alright. I suppose we can halt the enslavement of the she-cats temporarily, until we gain ShadowClan. Maybe we can make traitors our slaves instead of killing them, so the effect is more lasting." The faded gray tom shrugged. "Go over to WindClan and tell the she-cats they're free. Bring them back here afterwards. Make WindClan warriors stay in the abandoned Twoleg nest; the ShadowClan warriors will stay there after. The nursing queens and elders will stay here."

Stoneheart dipped his head respectfully and stepped out of the den, surprised that his conversation with Freezestar had gone so smoothly. "Yes, Freezestar, thank you - oh, one more thing," He added, stepping back into the den. "We've captured three ShadowClan cats, one a relatively young apprentice, and the two young warriors. What should we do with them?"

The IceClan leader's blue eyes gleamed hungrily, and he licked his lips. It took all of Stoneheart's strength for him to not flinch at the hungry look on his leader's face. "Perfect..." He purred silkily, "We'll make them fight against their own Clan tomorrow at sunhigh. If they don't listen, we'll kill all of their kin. It's that simple."

"Alright," Stoneheart murmured, backing out of his leaders den with a mew of farewell and climbing down the Highledge. He glanced around the camp; it was almost dusk, so most cats were patrolling or hunting on their own territories. Only the mews of kits signaled that cats actually resided in this camp. Flicking his ears, Stoneheart bounded towards the camp entrance and shot out of it; he was on his way towards WindClan.

Freezestar didn't send any other cats to collect the she-cats because none of the guards Freezestar had stationed there would listen to anyone besides Freezestar and Stoneheart. They had total control over IceClan. Stoneheart smirked as he flew across the moors; gaining Freezestar's trust was a lot easier than he thought. But he had to get closer; he had to kill Freezestar. He was too far away right now, Stoneheart wasn't sure if Freezestar completely trusted him.

Soon, Stoneheart emerged by the WindClan camp. Looking down, he saw tired she-cats drop off pieces of freshkill. The IceClan toms collected this and sprinted back towards the IceClan camp. Everything the she-cats caught went to the IceClan camp except for the scrawniest pieces of prey.

Stoneheart ducked under the WindClan entrance and nodded at the three toms guarding the camp; Firepaw, Gorsetail, and Grasspelt. These three toms were Freezestar's biggest followers in IceClan. Stoneheart had been hesitant stationing an apprentice to guard the she-cats, but Freezestar promised Stoneheart that Firepaw was very ruthless and an excellent fighter.

The three toms dipped their heads in respect to Stoneheart, and the dark gray tom flicked his ear irritably. "The she-cats are to be released," He rumbled. The toms looked faintly surprised. "It's an order from Freezestar. All WindClan cats are to sleep in the abandoned Twoleg nest on the edge of ThunderClan's territory, the elders and queens will stay where they are. The she-cats have already filled the place with moss."

Gorsetail curled his lip. "Why does WindClan have to sleep there, instead of in the camp?" He snarled angrily, his yellow eyes flashing. "We're used to sleeping out in the open. ThunderClan should sleep in the abandoned Twoleg nest." Beside him, Firepaw snarled and began to unsheathe his claws, but Stoneheart silenced both of them when he raised his tail.

"You will listen to my orders," He mewed quietly, penetrating the WindClan warrior with a fierce stare. "It was Freezestar's decision; do you want to ask him about it? ShadowClan will join you, Gorsetail, don't worry. We're attacking them at sunhigh tomorrow." The WindClan warrior's eyes gleamed with excitement.

Stoneheart directed his gaze to the three toms. "Tell the she-cats what I just told you," He growled. "Give them some freshkill, too. They need their strength to fight ShadowClan tomorrow." He flicked his tail, and immediately the three toms went out to do what Stoneheart ordered. There was fear in their eyes when they looked at him. Stoneheart smirked. _It's working, then... _He thought maliciously. _My plan is working. These cats are as afraid of me as they are Freezestar._

The dark gray deputy turned away from the scene and slowly walked back to ThunderClan's camp, lost in thought. One side of him was glad of his cleverness, but the other side worried what his mother and StarClan would think. _I hope they don't think I'm a traitor, _Stoneheart thought, a shiver running through his body at the thought of StarClan rejecting him. _I'm doing what's right. This is the only way to kill Freezestar, he's too powerful with many, but there must be a weakness I can find out about him... a weakness that will destroy him... maybe then Streamfrost and my Clan will trust me._

A tiny voice in his head wondered what would happen if this all ended right now; if Freezestar suddenly died. Stoneheart felt sickened when he realized that he was the deputy of IceClan, and he would have to take it over. _No, I wouldn't take it over. I would let the Clans go in peace... but what if I'm leader? I'm not experienced, I didn't even finish my warrior training..._

Stoneheart was too lost in his thoughts to realize that Breezepelt and Freezestar were shrieking his name. Appalled, Stoneheart raised his head; Freezestar was never out of the den, and he never looked this concerned. Stoneheart narrowed his eyes and asked, "What's wrong?"

"I never should have let Mintfur guard the prisoners!" spat Breezepelt. "I turn around for one minute, and the next thing you know..."

"What happened?" repeated Stoneheart, this time with a note of menace in his voice.

"The prisoners are gone!" screeched Breezepelt, sounding the alarm. "The ShadowClan prisoners have escaped!"

* * *

**AN: I love all of the reviews, guys! Thanks so much :)) Keep reviewing!**


	28. T w e n t y S i x

**The Legacy of the Three: Chapter Twenty Six**

_Wrensong ._

"Come on, keep quiet, we're almost at the border!"

Wrensong's voice was a low hiss as the three ShadowClan cats crept through the ThunderClan forest. Since the ShadowClan cats were incredible when moving with stealth, they had no problems sneaking through the thick undergrowth. The only thing that was keeping them back was Hawkstrike: he was still very weak and disoriented because of the blow he received on his head.

Wrensong didn't want to escape when Breezepelt was on guard; she didn't want her mate to get in trouble. She murmured this to him, and he immediately got a replacement guard so she could escape. While Breezepelt went out hunting with Freezestar, Wrensong reached into the guard's mind and told him to go asleep. He did, and Wrensong, Redpaw and Hawkstrike had escaped from there. The challenge was climbing up the hollow unseen, but they all had pelt colors that blended in with the rocks, so there was no issue.

Redpaw tensed beside her as cats yowled farther off. _They must be in pursuit of us, _Wrensong thought with a feeling of dread. "Alright," Wrensong hissed from her crouching position. The abandoned Twoleg nest loomed ahead, and the brown striped warrior could hear the trickling of the stream ahead. They were right in front of the border. "We have to run, now, and get back to camp. Hawkstrike, are you able to sprint?"

Hawkstrike narrowed his eyes in determination and nodded. "I'll be alright," He murmured, his eyes fixed on the Twoleg nest above. However, his eyes were unfocused and distant looking; Wrensong knew that Littlecloud would have to check him out when they returned to camp. _If_ they returned to camp, that is; Wrensong could hear the yowls getting closer.

"We must move!" She snarled, glancing at her two companions. "Now!" The three ShadowClan cats leaped through the undergrowth and charged through their territory. Wrensong gasped as she could here the thrumming of paws coming form behind them. "Get up a tree!" She panted, jumping on a tall pine.

Redpaw followed easily, but Hawkstrike had trouble. "Help me grab his scruff," Wrensong hissed to Redpaw, who nodded. Together, mentor and apprentice grabbed the huge cat's scruff and hauled him up, their claws digging into the bark. With a final heave, they pulled Hawkstrike up onto the branch. The dark tabby tom mewed a quiet, 'thanks'. Wrensong flicked her tail to show she had heard; it was too dangerous to talk right now.

They were on the slope leading towards the ShadowClan camp, but the ThunderClan border was still in sight. Luckily, their pelts blended in with the pine tree, and the branches of the pine provided a lot of cover. Peering through the nettles, Wrensong could see about five cats in pursuit of the prisoners; Wrensong recognized Flameclaw's fiery pelt among them. The striped she-cat stifled a growl that was beginning to vibrate in the back of her throat.

"We can't go over the border," Wrensong recognized Breezepelt's low mew. "We're too weak in numbers; a ShadowClan patrol could easily wipe us out right now."

"I'd like to see them try!" hissed Flameclaw, his claws digging into the ground and his tail lashing. "I say we should go over and capture them again! They'll tell all of IceClan's secrets to ShadowClan, and then we'd be crowfood! We have to kill them before they mew off all of our battle tactics."

"It's too late," growled Breezepelt. Wrensong saw his eyes flash up to their hiding spot, and he flicked his tail to show Wrensong that he had seen them. Even though Wrensong trusted her mate with her life, she still felt uneasy that he'd seen them. Were they that easy to spot? If so, could the rest of the patrol see them? "We can get our revenge tomorrow when we attack at sunhigh."

_He's giving me a hint! _The sudden realization struck Wrensong. _Oh thank you, Breezepelt, thank you!_

"Breezepelt's right, it's not worth it," The high voice of Freezestar made Wrensong shiver. "We can just attack them tomorrow, and they can be our slaves then. We'll need some cats to do all of the hunting and fighting for us, after all." There were murmurs of agreement as the IceClan cats padded away.

Wrensong waited a few moments before standing up and glancing back at her friends; their eyes were wide with fear. Wrensong was afraid, too; ShadowClan had no hope of winning tomorrow. Would she really be forced in enslavement under IceClan? How could any cat defeat them? "Let's get back to camp," She mewed quietly. "We need some rest before they... uh, attack tomorrow."

* * *

ShadowClan had been very surprised to see the three captured cats come back. It seemed as though the Clan tried everything they could to try and get their warriors back, but they didn't dare crossing into IceClan's territory in fear of themselves being captured. Wrensong understood; Rowanstar didn't want to lose anymore warriors. When Wrensong returned, he honored her with a respectful nod. News must have spread that Wrensong allowed herself to be captured so Cloverpaw could be free.

Rowanstar allowed Wrensong announce to ShadowClan about what was going to happen tomorrow. Now, she was standing on the Hightree, feeling a bit nervous. Rowanstar expected Wrensong to tell the Clan everything she knew about Freezestar. When they were captured, Wrensong heard murmurs about Freezestar, but most of her information had come from Breezepelt.

"You all know how Freezestar received a sign from StarClan telling him to become leader, and that is how he rose to power," mewed Wrensong loudly. It had taken a few pathetic mews, but the young she-cat's voice had become strong when she realized that the Clan must know what she did if they were to survive the battle. "Maybe that happened, maybe it didn't. But I can tell you one thing; he is a brutal, evil cat who will do whatever possible to achieve his ambitions." She spoke of how he infected ThunderClan with greencough and how he attacked WindClan right after the Gathering. "Cats believe he brainwashed Stoneheart to follow him. No cat knows this for sure, though. But Stoneheart is not a cat to be overlooked; he's extremely strong and will kill without a moments' hesitation."

She then began to speak of IceClan; how the she-cats were being enslaved and capturing ShadowClan cats meant that you could free a certain amount of she-cats. "Toms were so desperate to capture us so they could save their mates and kits," explained Wrensong. "They want to rebel, but Freezestar has eyes and ears everywhere. At least three cats are killed a day for speaking out against Freezestar. Cats are afraid. They don't want their kin to die, so they keep their mouths shut. Freezestar has played his game well, and he is bringing a full fighting force of three Clans to defeat us tomorrow."

"Then how will we win?" called a voice from the crowd; Wrensong recognized Falconwing. There was no hatred in his eyes as he addressed Wrensong, but apprehension. He glanced nervously at the nursery. Mousepelt was beginning to kit, and the warrior was feeling for his kits.

"Simple," growled Wrensong. "Kill the only cat that holds IceClan together; Freezestar."

* * *

_Blackstar was sitting opposite her the moment Wrensong opened her eyes. His eyes didn't hold the hostility they did at their last meeting; instead they looked defeated and sad. Sighing, the former ShadowClan leader looked Wrensong in the eyes. "I have failed in preparing you," He rumbled. "If only I had helped you find the other three, maybe the Clans would be safe. You could have defeated IceClan."_

_"No," growled Wrensong, her tail flicking irritably. Why had StarClan given up on the Clans? "You're supposed to have the power of the stars, so help us! Maybe if I stand alone I can stand a chance. Using my mind, I can kill Freezestar! That's what I'll do. I'll reach into his mind and destroy him."_

_"He has a beast inside of him that is invulnerable to that particular kind of power," growled Blackstar. "If that had been possible, I wouldn't have been so worried, would I? ShadowClan is going to fall to IceClan; I know that for a fact. Yet, the plagues will continue to come. Those cannot be stopped, either. Perhaps it will be easier to find the other three in IceClan. Maybe when you unite you can finally defeat the freeze that rots the Clans from the inside out."_

_"You have no faith in ShadowClan?" Wrensong curled her lip angrily._

_"Not that," Blackstar snarled. "I always have faith in my warriors. It was always the forests' destiny to be trapped in the icy claws of Freezestar. That is why the seven plagues started, but the Clans were forced to bear the plagues separately. RiverClan's second plague was Freezestar, but it seems as though Freezestar has become a plague that will destroy all of the Clans."_

_"Then surely the Four can defeat this plague, if we were meant to stop the other plagues?" asked Wrensong, her hostility beginning to fade and curiosity beginning to set in. "Because if we weren't meant for that, what exactly were we meant for? StarClan still hasn't revealed that to me, either."_

_"To rid of the plagues, obviously," Blackstar rolled his eyes. "Few Dark Forest cats are left, and they're using their powers to create plagues. That's where the seven plagues came from. Only the Dark Forest cats know what the plagues will bring... but we have our sources. The third plague will strike tomorrow, in fact."_

_"That still doesn't help," Wrensong flicked her ears irritably, her hostile feelings about Blackstar returning. "Blackstar, please give me more hints about the three. Or at least explain the first one... because I don't understand. You're just destroying the Clans by not giving us any hints about what we're supposed to do."_

_"Fine," Blackstar bared his teeth, and his tail lashed. "Clan cats are so helpless these days. Wrensong, you were chosen because of your intelligence. You were given more hints than any of the Four because we believed you could actually find the cats. We were wrong. I will reveal the other two hints to you, and then you're on your own." He paused for a moment, curling his pricked tail over his unsheathed claws. _

_In an ominous voice, the ShadowClan leader mewed, "The color-changing leaves tell us when time is changing... a gale may be as gentle as a breeze or as quick as a tornado... and stones take many shapes." The distant look in his eyes left him, and he stared at Wrensong, a challenge in the leader's blue eyes. "Well?" He sneered. "Do you need me to hold your paw anymore, or can you figure this one out?"_

_"I-I think I know what the hints are about," Wrensong mewed, an idea suddenly sparking in her head. "Or, what you mean by them. But tell me one more thing: is it ShadowClan's destiny to be destroyed and forced to join IceClan? Or was that laid out in the stars, and we have no hope of winning?"_

_"There is always a chance to change your path..." Blackstar began, looking at his paws. "But in this case, it would be nearly impossible not to join IceClan. Your destiny will become easier if you join IceClan, but I'm not telling you not to fight. Freezestar was meant to repeat history." _

_"What do you mean by repeating history?" Wrensong inquired, genuinely curious._

_Blackstar rolled his eyes for the second time. "In the name of StarClan, Wrensong, have you ever listened to elders' tales? Or looked through your heritage? Your great-grandfather, Tigerstar, tried to take control of the forest. But he had noble Firestar to stop him, who exposed his treachery. Also, he wasn't as clever as Freezestar. History is repeating, Wrensong. Keep your ears pricked and your eyes open; that is how you will save your Clan."_

* * *

Wrensong was roughly awoken from her dream by a loud, terrified yowl. Immediately, the brown-striped she-cat sprang onto her paws, pricking her ears for danger. She scanned around the warriors' den and noticed that no cats were sleeping. Inwardly gasping, she raced out of the den and into the camp. Wrensong saw her Clanmates gathered around the entrance to the camp, their claws unsheathed and fur bristling.

"What's going on?" Wrensong bounded up to her apprentice, Redpaw. She felt ashamed that she had to ask her own apprentice what was happening; she was the warrior, she should've been out here first.

The dark ginger tabby looked up at her, his blue eyes nervous but determined. Lashing his tail in fury, Redpaw mewed, "IceClan! Smokefoot had a hunting patrol out and they just caught sent of a huge battle patrol coming to get us. It's like what the IceClan cats were saying yesterday about how they'd attack us, but they tricked us! They said they'd attack at night and not sunhigh!"

Wrensong narrowed her eyes angrily. It was fox-hearted of IceClan to attack ShadowClan during the day; ShadowClan mostly hunted during the night, so at daytime they were most vulnerable. Yet, it was a very clever thing, and Wrensong suspected that Freezestar had thought up of this plan. She crouched to the ground and unsheathed her claws, ready to fight. "I'll have no trouble ripping their fur out," She mewed confidently.

"Not in your condition, you won't," a raspy voice sounded from behind her. Wrensong whirled around to see Littlecloud narrowing his eyes at her crossly, Lightpaw beside him. The apprentice clutched battle herbs in his mouth, he was obviously ready to cure the injuries right as the battle was going on. "Come back to the medicine cat den with me. The other queens and elders are there."

Wrensong curled her lip angrily. She was a warrior now; she didn't need to be bossed around like a clueless apprentice. Why was Littlecloud so worried for her, anyway? The ShadowClan warrior had never really talked to him in the first place. "What are you talking about?" She hissed. "I must defend my Clan!"

Littlecloud's gaze was soft, yet urgent. He rolled his eyes. "It's in the earliest stage, so you wouldn't have noticed..." He mumbled, almost to himself. Then the frail elder looked Wrensong right in the eyes. "You're pregnant," Littlecloud mewed bluntly. "You can't go into battle carrying kits. Hunting is one thing; but you can't put your kits and yourself in danger."

The brown-striped warrior gasped. Pregnant? With kits...? Her whole world seemed to spin around her, and she felt the grond sway underneath her paws. "I-I can't be expecting kits," Wrensong gasped, feeling light-headed. "I didn't even notice... it's not possible..." With a sinking heart, she realized that the Clan would think the kits were Hawkstrike's. But in reality, they weren't. They were Breezepelt's.

"Come," Littlecloud mewed softly, guiding Wrensong towards the medicine cat den. Like the other dens, it was enclosed with brambles, but this den led into a hollow carved out by a thick pine tree. It provided incredible cover and safety, and Wrensong could see why the elders and queens were hiding here.

"Littlecloud," Wrensong began. "I don't think... I..." Wrensong couldn't quite put her fears into words. These kits would be ShadowClan, ThunderClan, and WindClan kits... they would be more than halfClan. These kits would be completely mixed, and if any cat found out their heritage... she didn't want to imagine the type of hatred they would receive.

"Kitting is nothing to worry about," Littlecloud nudged Wrensong into a soft, mossy nest closest to the entrance. "You're the fittest queen, so if the IceClan warriors reach this far..." He looked down for a moment. His eyes betrayed his thoughts; Wrensong knew that Littlecloud didn't believe they could beat IceClan. Frankly, Wrensong didn't, either; three Clans against one did not sound very promising.

"Yeah, I won't let any IceClan warrior lay a claw on any of these cats," promised Wrensong, glancing back at the elderly medicine cat. "You should stay in here, as well. Will Lightpaw be okay? He hasn't been apprenticed for long..."

Littlecloud narrowed his eyes. "He's in the warriors' den," He explained. "Rowanstar's making an announcement now, I think. All injured warriors will go into the warriors' den and will be treated from there. I don't expect IceClan to spare a medicine cat apprentice, by the sound of their Clan. Lightpaw is the only hope of a medicine cat we have."

Wrensong nodded in understanding. For a few heartbeats, the queens and elders sat in the medicine cat den in silence. Then, the silence was broken by a furious yowling. With a sinking heart, Wrensong closed her eyes. The battle had begun.


	29. T w e n t y S e v e n

**The Legacy of the Three: Chapter Twenty Seven**

_Galepaw ._

The pine trees towered above the small apprentice's head; they were so thick that only tiny shafts of sunlight were able to break through. They dotted the forest, making an intricate and unique pattern. Looking up, the gray apprentice felt choked and contained by the trees. He missed the feeling of running in the open and have nothing but the sky overhead. He missed the sun beating on his fur.

In front of him, the IceClan warriors bounded towards the ShadowClan camp. Not for the first time, Galepaw felt a knot of apprehension twist his stomach. He was unfortunate enough to be chosen for the patrol that would attack ShadowClan and force them to join IceClan; Galepaw did not want to see a battle like that ever again. Nightmares from when IceClan had taken over WindClan still haunted him. His sister was haunted, too; not by the battle, but of being put under torture when the IceClan she-cats were under enslavement.

Fogpaw was trotting next to Galepaw. Galepaw could see the nervous gleam in her blue eyes, and knew they shared the same feelings about this battle. She was still scarred from her two days' enslavement, and had really changed as a cat. His sister was now more quiet and guarded. Galepaw suspected that the she-cats had been punished severely if they didn't catch enough prey.

"Keep quiet, now," hissed Stoneheart from the front of the line. Lashing his tail, he ordered the cats to stop. Galepaw glanced around. Breezepelt and Bramblestar were left behind, heavily guarded. Freezestar didn't think they were loyal enough to fight for IceClan, so he decided to leave them at home. Stoneheart and Freezestar were in charge of the battle patrol.

Strong scents of ShadowClan wafted through Galepaw's senses. Pricking his ears and opening his mouth, he realized that the IceClan battle patrol must be nearing the camp. Around him, everything looked the same; he couldn't distinguish one part of the forest from the other. He wondered how Stoneheart knew where he was going.

The IceClan deputy lowered his tail, signaling for the patrol to creep forward slowly. Galepaw followed Stoneheart's order, keeping his belly low to the ground. The patrol suddenly stopped in front of a well-guarded bramble entrance, and Galepaw felt a swooping sensation in his stomach. This had to be it, this had to be the ShadowClan camp. He was nervous to fight in the battle; he had hardly learned any moves, and highly depended on his speed.

His sister glanced at him. "It'll be okay," She whispered, lightly touching her tail on her brother's shoulder. Her blue eyes were round with nervousness, and Galepaw suspected she was trying to convince him as well as herself. "Hopefully we'll beat ShadowClan quickly, so we don't even have to fight."

Galepaw was in the second wave to attack ShadowClan, but he still had a chance of fighting them. He knew ShadowClan was outnumbered, but he heard they were fierce fighters; cats he wouldn't want to face in battle. The gray apprentice shrugged and nodded, trying to convince himself he would be alright.

He was about to hiss a reply to his sister when Freezestar's battle yowl rang through the forest. The cats in the first wave exploded into the entrance, and Galepaw could already hear the sounds of battle. Cats yowled in triumph and pain, while others snarled and hissed. Flattening his ears, Galepaw unsheathed his claws and prepared to jump into the fray.

Stoneheart's yowl jolted Galepaw back to reality. At his signal, the second wave of cats flooded through the entrance and into the camp. Upon entering, Galepaw glanced around. Cats were fighting for their lives, but the IceClan cats were hardly trying. They were only sending ShadowClan a message; they didn't want to kill them. A yowl of help came from Galepaw's left.

Nightcloud was battling a huge ShadowClan warrior. He was a huge dark brown tabby with menacing amber eyes. He leaned in and fastened his teeth to deliver the death blow to the black warrior who was feebly struggling under his massive paws. With a yowl, Galepaw leaped on top of him, trying to claw him off of his kin. But the tom was tough and did not let go, and Galepaw looked on with horror as Nightcloud stopped twitching and became strangely still.

The brown tabby rounded on Galepaw, his eyes glittering. "Do you want to become like your friend?" He snarled, waving his tail to the motionless Nightcloud. "Get out of our camp and never come back. You are too small to fight in this battle. I will allow you a chance to escape."

Galepaw glanced around the clearing. The third wave of warriors had streamed in, ready to take on any last ShadowClan stragglers. "No!" He growled. The gray apprentice hated what IceClan stood for, but he had no choice. Plus, Nightcloud was his kin; he had to revenge her death. "That was my kin!" Without thinking, he launched himself at the brown tabby with astonishing speed.

The tabby was taken off guard and grunted in surprise as Galepaw sped around him, delivering sharp blows wherever he could. At one point, the brown tabby tried to collapse on Galepaw, but the quick apprentice wouldn't allow it. He dodged out of the way just in time, and the ShadowClan warrior fell clumsily to the ground. Taking his chance, Galepaw leaped on his belly and was about to rip open the warrior's stomach.

"Stop!" Freezestar's commanding yowl sounded from a large tree. Galepaw stepped back from the dark tabby, allowing him to stand up. The tabby didn't try to fight, only stared at Galepaw with undisguised shock and bewilderment. Twitching his whiskers, the apprentice bounded away to find his sister.

She was by the foot of the tree, staring at a motionless lump of ginger fur. Her eyes were huge and haunted, but she didn't seem to have any injuries that Galepaw could see.

He sighed, lightly touching his muzzle to her shoulder. "You're safe!" He breathed. Galepaw flicked his tail to the still cat. "Who is that?" He murmured, confused. His confusion grew when a light-golden tabby apprentice rushed up to the cat, wailing a low and sad yowl. Turning to his sister again, Galepaw repeated his question.

"Rowanstar," rasped Fogpaw, looking down at the mighty ShadowClan leader. "He has a few more lives left, I think..."

The huge ShadowClan leader looked very small in death. Galepaw assumed he was losing a life, but that didn't explain the distraught apprentice burying his nose in Rowanstar's fur. Faintly, Galepaw noticed a small, elderly cat hobbling up to the ginger leader. His amber eyes burned with hatred as he glared up at Freezestar. However, the IceClan cat didn't seem to notice.

"Cats of ShadowClan!" He yowled, his tail high. Galepaw sighed internally, he didn't feel up to listening to the IceClan speech. "You are now a part of history! The greatest Clan that will ever rule the moors, rivers and the forests! Faster than WindClan, sleeker than RiverClan, sneakier than ShadowClan and more noble than ThunderClan! You are now a part of IceClan!"

"What if we don't want to be?" snarled the brown tabby that Galepaw had recently fought. Galepaw felt an icy claw clutch at his chest; this cat would probably be murdered in cold blood like Owlwhisker of WindClan and Bluestrike of ThunderClan. Those cats were only murdered to send a message; a message of fear.

"Do you want to see an example?" purred Freezestar, beckoning Stoneheart forward with his tail. The huge former RiverClan warrior was even bigger than the huge tabby, and his curved claws unsheathed with anticipation.

"Go ahead!" yowled the dark tabby, his amber eyes flashing. "I'll kill any warrior you send to me!" There were murmurs of 'No, Hawkstrike', from the ShadowClan cats, and Galepaw realized that this cat was named Hawkstrike. He hoped that Hawkstrike didn't get killed, even though he had fought with the dark tabby. Galepaw didn't like seeing any cats die.

With a flick of Freezestar's tail, Stoneheart leaped forward, pinning the dark tabby to the ground immediately. But Hawkstrike wasn't going to give up that easily. With his hind paws, he launched Stoneheart off of him. The dark gray tom easily recovered and tackled Hawkstrike to the ground again. This time, while they were tussling, he hooked his teeth around Hawkstrike's neck and bit down hard. The dark tabby tried to snarl, but it came out as a gurgle; moments later, he was on the ground, limp and still.

"That is an example for those who will not follow me and IceClan," Freezestar mewed quietly, flicking his tail towards Hawkstrike. A sandy, pregnant she-cat burst out of the medicine cat den and hurled herself on Hawkstrike, moaning in grief. A brown-striped she-cat followed hesitantly, her eyes full of regret and loss. "We invite you to join us. You have no choice. Your new camp will be in the abandoned Twoleg nest on ThunderClan territory. Guards will be posted there at all times. If you resist, well, you have just seen the consequences."

"What about Rowanstar?" called a nervous voice from the back of the crowd.

The ginger shape moved in front of Galepaw, and Rowanstar shakily stood up, his eyes glinting defiance. "ShadowClan will never submit," He hissed, his green eyes narrowed. "I will never allow a rogue and a traitor to take over my Clan. Come down and fight me, Freezestar, instead of having your assistant do your dirty work."

Freezestar grinned, and his icy blue eyes glinted. "Gladly," he purred, snaking down the tree and unsheathing his long claws. As soon as he landed on the ground, Rowanstar launched himself at the faded gray tom, who squeaked in surprise. The ginger leader raked his claws wherever he could while Freezestar moaned in agony. Then, Rowanstar bit down hard on Freezestar's neck. The IceClan leader yowled, and then went still.

Rowanstar stepped back, wiping the blood off of his claws. Turning to the watching cats, he mewed, "We must defeat this tyrant. He is finishing Tigerstar's dirty work, and he is using all of you. Surely you cannot support this evil cat? StarClan honors the cats who died in his path of destruction. Let's not have any more die for his sake."

As he was talking, Freezestar pushed himself to his paws and leaped at Rowanstar, aiming for his neck. Rowanstar gasped in surprise as Freezestar ripped open the leader's neck with his claws; blood gushed out. Galepaw looked away as Rowanstar fell to the ground, twitching. There was a gasp from the audience as Rowanstar stopped twitching and became motionless.

Then, as Galepaw looked on, he woke up and another spasm shook him. The neck wound was healing, but not soon enough. Rowanstar gasped in pain as yet another spasm shook him. _Has Freezestar really caused a wound that awful that Rowanstar had to die more than one time? _A final spasm shook Rowanstar, and the leader let out a hiss of defiance as death overtook him.

"As you can see, I can kill a leader with four lives left!" Freezestar yowled triumphantly, his icy blue eyes flashing with pride. "No cat stands a chance against me; against IceClan! We are the most powerful Clan there is. And no cat, not even a leader with nine lives, can stop me!"

Stoneheart yowled along with Freezestar, and hesitantly the other IceClan cats followed, yowling their triumph and glory to the stars. Galepaw was scared, so he joined in, but looking beside him, he realized that Fogpaw was not. Her eyes were narrowed as she glared at Freezestar.

"Why aren't you cheering?" Galepaw hissed, glancing up at Freezestar to see if he saw.

"I won't listen to him," she growled, her heather-blue eyes glittering. "You might be stupid enough to, but I won't. I'll beat him somehow. The forest isn't right without four Clans."

* * *

Galepaw curled up uncomfortably on a moss nest in the Twoleg nest. He was on the above floor, guarding the queens and elders. ShadowClan and WindClan were confined to this small and cramped place. Galepaw supposed it was because the ThunderClan cats had accepted Freezestar's leadership more easily than ShadowClan and WindClan.

"What's your name?" A quiet voice called from behind Galepaw. The gray tabby turned around and saw a brown ShadowClan she-cat talking to him. She had bright green eyes, but a strange pelt color. Her face had dark brown stripes, while her paws were dark brown and her legs a light brown. Her tail was a dark brown, and he noticed a lone dark brown stripe running down her side.

"Galepaw," Galepaw mumbled, glancing around. He was the only guard tonight, and the queens and elders were asleep. Down below, most of the warriors and apprentices were asleep, but no cat could hear them. "Why do you want to know?"

The ShadowClan queen disregarded the question. "Are you Breezepelt's son, by chance? Do you have any special abilities... something that's strange, and no cat has this power? Something unique about you?"

Galepaw was taken off guard by the questions. The she-cat was asking him too many questions to handle; too many questions that he understood. He looked into her green eyes and saw curiosity there, along with a determination. What was she trying to figure out? "Yes... Breezepelt is my father," Galepaw began awkwardly. "And... kind of. I can just run very fast, I'm the fastest cat in my Clan. Why?"

"Have you ever... had any strange dreams? From StarClan? Did they ever tell you about a prophecy?" The she-cat leaned close; she obviously wanted to know something. But what? Galepaw really wasn't that interesting. Yes, he had dreams... but he had assumed other cats had them.

"Yes," Galepaw admitted. "They told me about some prophecy, and to find three other cats, but it was awhile ago... I haven't really had any in awhile, though..." He thought back to the dream where Tallstar had told him to stay strong for Freezestar, and that Galepaw was destined for something great. It was when Galepaw was a kit, though, so he didn't quite remember a lot of it.

"I'm one of the three you must find," The she-cat's eyes glinted excitedly. "I've found the WindClan Fourth at last! My name is Wrensong, and I'm from ShadowClan. I have powers and dreams like yours. Together, we're supposed to defeat the seven plagues and Freezestar to save the forest."

"Seven plagues?" Galepaw echoed, confused. He had heard Wrensong's name at a Gathering, but didn't really recognize her. He had never received a dream about seven plagues; just about Freezestar. "Sorry, I don't really know what you're talking about when you say, 'seven plagues'."

Wrensong rolled her eyes impatiently. "Surely StarClan has told you," She mewed, "But I'll refresh your memory. There are seven plagues sent to the forest by some power... StarClan thinks it's the Dark Forest. The greencough epidemic in your Clan was one, and ShadowClan's fox attack was another. The third one is supposed to happen tonight, so right now. Each Clan is supposed to have two, but RiverClan doesn't because they have Freezestar. He is the final plague that wasn't supposed to happen. The Four are supposed to stop the plagues and defeat Freezestar. We were blessed with power for that reason."

Galepaw couldn't believe all of this. He was one of the Four, who were supposed to save the forest? He was only an apprentice that could run fast, how was he supposed to save all four of the Clans? "Who are the other two that we have to find?" Galepaw asked. "And how did you know I'm one of the Four?"

"StarClan gave me hints," Wrensong murmured. "I think they're based on first names. One was about time-changing leaves, and the other was about a stone that can take many shapes. Do you know any powerful cats with the prefix or suffix of stone or leaf? I've been thinking, but I don't know any."

An idea flashed through Galepaw's mind, and the apprentice gasped. "One must be Stoneheart!" He whispered in awe. "He's a good fighter, and Freezestar's second-in-command... it has to be him!"

"Keep your voice down," hissed Wrensong irritably, glaring at the apprentice. Galepaw didn't shrink under her gaze; her eyes weren't scary enough to make him flinch. They weren't Freezestar's eyes. "Okay, so that's RiverClan down, I guess. We have to find out his power. Do you have any idea how to do that?"

"Maybe we should figure out the other one before we start that," reasoned Galepaw. "The other cat might be easy to figure out..."

As he was pondering, a mottled golden and brown shape exploded from the window downstairs. "The hollow has flooded!" Leafstorm, a strong ThunderClan warrior, gasped. "The hollow has flooded!"

_The third plague!_

* * *

**AN: Firepaw isn't evil, just extremely loyal and ambitious :P Kind of like a young Thistleclaw. I don't really consider Thistleclaw evil, just let his ambitions get a hold of him. Therefore Firepaw isn't meant to be "evil", just very aggressive and ambitious.**

**Pikachu: Wow, thank you so much! I'm glad you like the story :) Yeah, Wrensong is a bit mary sueish, but that will soon change. Pinky promise. ;) I love your long review! And yes... Breezepelt is two-faced. He really loves Wrensong, but that's the only cat he cares for, really... Wrensong doesn't know that yet ;) **


	30. T w e n t y E i g h t

**The Legacy of the Three: Chapter Twenty Eight**

_Wrensong ._

The third plague had not caused a lot of damage. Because RiverClan was sheltering in the hollow, the plague was sent to them. The water came in slowly, so cats had been able to escape easily. However, the dens and medicine cat supplies were ruined and scattered across the hollow. Wrensong was happy that she didn't have to go and fix up the camp like the other IceClan warriors and apprentices.

Breezepelt was stationed guard in the abandoned Twoleg nest. He was the only warrior there; the rest were repairing the hollow. It was nighttime, so the queens and elders were asleep. Glancing around, Wrensong cautiously descended down the stairs towards her mate, keeping her ears pricked.

"Breezepelt," She murmured into his ear. The black tom turned around, his huge amber eyes warm yet surprised. They hadn't had much contact these days; Breezepelt was often busy and Wrensong was cooped up in the abandoned Twoleg nest. She missed their old meetings and curling up next to him every night.

"Wrensong!" He breathed, curling around her and licking her ear. "What are you doing here? They might see!" Breezepelt waved his tail up to where the elders and queens were sleeping. Wrensong knew they couldn't see Breezepelt and her because there was a wall in the way, but they had to be quiet.

Wrensong sighed, allowing him to share tongues with her. "I need to tell you something," She mumbled, looking at the ground. Breezepelt was notorious for hating halfClans, including his brothers, yet he loved Wrensong. She was afraid of what he would think of their kits being so mixed. "I'm... I'm expecting your kits."

Breezepelt widened his eyes in sudden realization. "I-I never thought they were m-mine!" He gasped, his eyes excited. "I thought they were Hawkstrike's... or you were just guarding the queens and elders... but this is great! I-I'm finally having kits that weren't forced; kits that I'll love!"

Wrensong disregarded the final comment, but still felt a pang of pity for her new friend, Galepaw, Breezepelt's son. "You don't care that they're part ThunderClan, ShadowClan, and WindClan?" She murmured, looking up at her mate. He was looking at her big stomach in wonder, and she had to stop herself from rolling her eyes.

"No!" Breezepelt mewed happily; he couldn't stop purring. "They're our kits, Wrensong, and we're mates. Heathertail and I weren't, but we are. I love you, Wrensong, and you're halfClan. Why would you ever think that?"

Wrensong was about to answer, but a strangled yowl from upstairs stopped her. Glancing at Breezepelt, they both raced up the stairs side-by-side. Upon entering the room where the queens and elders slept, Wrensong discovered that Mousepelt was kitting! "Oh, StarClan!" She gasped, her eyes wide. Lightpaw, Kestrelflight and Littlecloud were helping Jayfeather and Lilystripe collect more herbs for the store!

"Breezepelt, get a medicine cat!" hissed Wrensong. Breezepelt nodded in fear and whisked away. The brown-striped she-cat approached her friend, crouching beside her. "It's going to be okay," Wrensong mewed cheerfully. "You'll be fine. Kitting isn't that hard, right?" The ShadowClan queen realized she was trying to convince herself as much as Mousepelt.

"Shut... up!" snarled Mousepelt, her eyes burning with pain. "Can... you... help?'"

Glancing around wildly, Wrensong located a stick. She grabbed it and made Mousepelt bite on it. "Here, bite down on this when the pain comes," Wrensong mewed, lightly feeling Mousepelt's stomach. Judging by the size of it, there were going to be more than one kit... and Wrensong had no idea what she was doing.

A cat moaned in the back and Tornear, a WindClan elder, stood up. Immediately, his eyes opened as he limped over to Mousepelt. "Kitting?" He wheezed, looking at Wrensong. She nodded.

Suddenly, a spasm shook Mousepelt, who bit down hard on the stick. Moments later, a tiny kit slid out onto the moss. Wrensong looked around wildly, unsure of what to do. Wasn't the kit supposed to find her way to Mousepelt? She began to nudge the kit towards Mousepelt, but stopped with a hiss from Tornear.

"Lick it!" He snarled. "Lick it the opposite way of its fur so it lives!"

Obeying the elder, Wrensong crouched down and began to lick the kit until a pitiful mewl escaped its mouth. Gently, she guided it towards Mousepelt, who was panting with pain. The kit began to suckle as a second spasm shook Mousepelt, and yet another kit popped out on the moss. This time, Wrensong allowed Tornear to lick the kit. Hesitantly, Wrensong felt her friend's stomach. Her panting was dying down, and Wrensong guessed that there were no more kits left.

"I think you've only got two," Wrensong mewed, smiling at the queen. "See? It wasn't that bad."

Mousepelt managed a smile as Wrensong heard a cat race up. She glanced behind her and saw Lightpaw, who dropped a bundle of herbs. "Wha-what happened?" He asked in awe, looking as Tornear guided the kit to his mother's belly. "I-you kitted... already...?" The apprentice seemed amazed that Mousepelt had kitted without a medicine cat.

"Yeah," Wrensong mewed. "It was thanks to Tornear. He knew what he was doing."

Lightpaw dipped his head politely to the elder, who flicked his tail and curled back up in his nest. The apprentice bounded over to Mousepelt and put herbs in her mouth; soon, the sandy she-cat was asleep.

Wrensong felt her own paws get heavier as her eyelids droop. Realizing that she was tired as well, she lay down and placed her tail over her muzzle, waiting for the sweet escape of sleep.

* * *

"Wrensong. Wrensong, wake up. We have to talk."

A paw prodded Wrensong's side. Wearily, the brown striped she-cat opened her eyes and blinked until everything came into focus. Getting onto her paws, she looked around the abandoned Twoleg nest to search for the cat who was talking to her. She turned around and saw Galepaw staring at her, twitching his tail impatiently. "I think I know what the hints mean," He hissed, angling his ears towards the forest. Wrensong understood; the WindClan apprentice wanted to talk to her in private.

She nodded in understanding, and waved her tail, signaling for the apprentice to follow her. They treaded down the stairs, stopping as they creaked and moaned under the cats' weight. Wrensong hopped out of the abandoned Twoleg nest and padded towards the back of it, hiding under a patch of ferns. Galepaw followed her. "What is it you need to tell me?" She asked.

"The hints," Galepaw mewed. "They're obvious, Wrensong! StarClan isn't just spewing out sentences; they're hinting us about the cats' powers, as well. Like, I can run slow and fast... so, what was it? The swift gale can be a breeze or a tornado? They were hinting that I can go as fast as I want. So for Stoneheart, it's 'a stone can take many shapes'..."

Wrensong gasped in sudden realization. "And that must mean that Stoneheart can take many shapes! So... he could turn into whatever he wanted to?"

Galepaw shrugged, tipping his head to one side as if in thought. "Yes, I think so. But he'll be the hardest to get to because he's so close to Freezestar. The other cat must be in ThunderClan, and his hint is 'the color-changing leaves tell us when time is passing'. That must be Leafstorm, who's the mottled golden brown tom. He has a lot of fur colors, right? I don't understand what his power is, though."

Wrensong flicked her tail, pondering about what Galepaw had just said. Leafstorm would make sense... but like Galepaw, she didn't understand the hint about his power. "It must have something to do with color or time-changing," She decided hesitantly. "Probably time-changing. But again, the only way we'll figure out is if we ask him ourselves. That'll be easy, because I've met him before."

Galepaw's eyes sparkled; they were a bright blue, not his mother's color, and definitely not his father's. In fact, Galepaw was nothing like Breezepelt, really. Galepaw was very thoughtful... Breezepelt could be, but not so much as his son. Galepaw must've inherited his mother's kind personality. "Okay," He squeaked. "Can we talk to him today?"

"I think we'll have to," murmured Wrensong, glancing back at the Twoleg nest. "These plagues are becoming more severe, and both of us can't possibly stop them by ourselves. We'll need all of the help we can get."

The gray tabby apprentice gasped, as if in sudden realization. "We'll need all the help we can get!" He echoed excitedly. "Wrensong, I know how to reach Stoneheart! Jayfeather can go in cats' dreams, so maybe while we're all dreaming, we can talk to Stoneheart! Freezestar wouldn't know!"

"Keep your voice down!" Wrensong hissed, glancing sideways. When she realized no cat was there, she looked back at Galepaw. "And I thought I was intelligent," She snorted, feeling a bit ashamed that an apprentice was acting more clever than she was. "That's a very good idea, Galepaw. Okay, we'll both go to the ThunderClan camp. You quietly ask Jayfeather and explain to him, I'm sure he'll know the prophecy; and I'll pull Leafstorm aside. Does that work?"

"Yeah!" Galepaw nodded, and Wrensong didn't miss the gleam of excitement that lit up his eyes. "That's great! Let's go!" He whisked off and bounded into the trees. Soon, he became a blur, and Wrensong couldn't see him anymore.

"Wait up!" She gasped, her belly heavy with kits weighing her down. "I-I'm not as fast as you are, Galepaw! Especially when I'm pregnant!" Panting, she wove through the trees, her stomach uncomfortably swaying from side to side. _If it wasn't leaf-bare, I'd think I was getting fat. _Finally, Wrensong reached the hollow where the main IceClan camp was. Puffing, she ducked inside.

The camp was very busy. Wrensong glanced around, looking for a mottled golden-brown pelt, and spotted it below the Highledge, observing the camp. Leafstorm's amber eyes glanced at Wrensong as she approached; she saw him sneak a glance at her swollen stomach. "Expecting?" He asked her as she sat down in front of him.

"Yes," Wrensong was still panting from running through the forest. "Leafstorm, I need to ask you something. In private. Is there anywhere in this forest where other cats won't hear us?"

Leafstorm narrowed his eyes suspiciously, but didn't answer. He glanced around the camp, got onto his paws, and beckoned Wrensong forward with his tail. Wrensong followed him out of camp; the mottled tom took her in a circle towards the top of the hollow, where ThunderClan scents were faint. Wrensong guessed that this area had bad hunting, so no cats hunted here. "What is it?" Leafstorm growled.

Wrensong sat in front of him and tucked her tail neatly over her paws, showing that she wasn't trying to be aggressive. They were all in the same Clan now, anyway, so there was no need. "Do you have a special ability?" She finally mewed, not taking her green eyes off of Leafstorm's amber ones. "Dreams from StarClan telling you of a prophecy?"

For the first time in her life, Wrensong saw Leafstorm looked shocked. Then, the moment ended, and his eyes were hostile and suspicious again. "Why do you want to know?" He growled, his fur beginning to bristle angrily. _If he's overreacting like this, he's obviously had the dreams... and he probably thought he could conquer the evil single-pawed._

"You're a part of the Four, like me," Wrensong mewed impatiently. Couldn't Leafstorm not be arrogant and selfish, even for one moment? "You have a special power. Galepaw, a WindClan apprentice, is also one of the Four. We suspect Stoneheart is the other Fourth, and we know you're part of the Four. We have to work together to defeat the plagues."

"Plagues?" Leafstorm looked interested, and his ears pricked. When he noticed that Wrensong wouldn't answer, he continued, "Yes, I do have a power... or ability; whatever you call it. Why do you want to know, or care? I don't even know why I have my power; but I do know I'm the strongest cat in my Clan now that my father's dead, and I don't need other wanna-bes ordering me around."

Wrensong rolled her eyes. "This isn't about you," She hissed. "I'm not ordering you around. Do you want to watch your kin die and be completely helpless? Plagues are coming, Leafstorm, and you need to put your arrogance aside. For one moment, at least, while I explain to you what's going on. As sad as I am to admit this, we need your help just as much as we need the other two's."

Leafstorm bared his teeth, and his tail lashed. Wrensong knew he was thinking about the consequences of not facing up to the danger with the other three cats. "I don't even know what I'm supposed to do," He growled. "Or what your powers are, or the other two."

The brown striped she-cat began to explain her power, Galepaw's, and what they expected Stoneheart's to be. Then, she told Leafstorm about the plagues, and how they could get dangerous every time. Wrensong included how Freezestar was a plague. "He brought the greencough to ThunderClan in order to destroy Lionblaze," She growled, knowing this information would get Leafstorm on their side. "And it worked. Do you really want to sit around and see him toss out more innocent lives?"

Leafstorm's amber eyes were yellow fire now. His huge claws dug into the mud, and Wrensong had to admit that he looked terrifying. "When's the next plague, and how do I stop it?" He growled, his muscles rippling underneath his golden-brown fur.

"How do _you_ stop it?" Wrensong mewed, annoyed at the ThunderClan tom's superior attitude. He needed to learn to work as a team and not be so arrogant. "You mean, how do _we_ stop it? Well, StarClan sends us hints in our dreams. We'll be able to meet together fairly easily now that we're in the same Clan, so we talk about our dreams. Three plagues have already happened, so there's about four more to go, including Freezestar."

The mottled golden-brown tom curled his lip; he obviously didn't like the thought of meeting with cats from other Clans so freely. Wrensong internally rolled her eyes; he met with Grassfeather every night, so why was he so prickly about it? "Fine," He growled, narrowing his eyes. "We'll meet every day, or every other day. But how will we reach Stoneheart? He's too close to Freezestar for my liking. I don't trust him."

"You're going to have to," Wrensong muttered. "I don't trust him, either. He killed my friend. But if the prophecy's right, then Stoneheart may be our last hope. Anyway, Galepaw is talking to Jayfeather right now. I suspect he already knows about the prophecy, but we have a plan. The only way we can talk to Stoneheart is in our dreams, away from Freezestar, so we're convincing Jayfeather to summon us in our dreams to talk to each other."

Leafstorm narrowed his eyes, and for a scary moment, Wrensong thought he'd refuse the idea. "Fine," He meowed after a few long heartbeats. "I'll-I'll help you guys with these plagues or whatever. But if we do manage to defeat Freezestar, which I'm sure I could do already, then I don't expect us to be friends after it. Or, I don't want to be friends with any of you at all, really."

"Shut it," Wrensong growled, extremely annoyed at the mottled tom's rudeness. If they made it through this nightmare, of course they wouldn't have to be friends! They just needed to get through these plagues and save the Clans; together. They couldn't do it without one of the Four. "But, thank you," She murmured, her annoyance beginning to ebb away. "We're the only hope the Clans have."

* * *

**AN: Eek, I haven't quite explained Freezestar's story throughly enough! I was hoping to explain it in one of Stoneheart's POVs, but anyway, here's it basically:**

**The Dark Forest needed a potentially evil cat that they could manipulate to do their evil plans. Obviously the Clans didn't trust them anymore, so they had to find a rogue. Darkstripe found Freeze, and it all went downhill from there x) I'll explain it more in detail in later chapters, I promise~**

**And wow, thanks a lot for the amazing, lengthy reviews! O_O I responded to you all in a separate review, so just check under my reviews and your response will be there :) Just to save space~**

**Also, I am doing a sequel! I have an idea already, and it will feature one of Wrensong's kits along with a special cat from another Clan (Wind, Thunder, River etc). It'll be a new plot; I kinda did it in one of my stories before but it wasn't very good. The other cat will be very unique, I haven't read a fanfic with the condition that this other cat will have (yet, but they're probably out there). So I hope it's going to be unique! :))**


	31. T w e n t y N i n e

**The Legacy of the Three: Chapter Twenty Nine**

_Leafstorm ._

"They're beautiful,"

Leafstorm was gazing at his kits that were just born. The past few days, Freezestar had been encouraging interClan relationships, but the Clans were very hesitant about it. _At least I don't have to be secretive about my relationship with Grassfeather anymore,_ He thought happily. His kits were about a day old, but Leafstorm had just gotten around to visiting them because he had been so busy.

He was huddled in the abandoned Twoleg nest, gazing at his two beautiful kits. One was a silvery-gray like her mother, but with darker flecks, and the other was a sturdy, strong golden tabby tom. He resembled Lionblaze. Leafstorm felt a pang in his heart as he remembered his father. Glancing up at his mate, who was also staring at the kits fondly, he asked softly, "What would you like to name them?"

While Grassfeather was thinking about her answer, Leafstorm glanced around the upper floor. Mousepelt, a ShadowClan queen, was tending to her recently born kits, and Wrensong was looking at Leafstorm. The mottled tom flicked his tail awkwardly, the two had been through a lot in the past few days. Jayfeather had agreed to go into Stoneheart and the other threes' dreams that night, so the Four would finally be together by tomorrow. Well, hopefully. Maybe then they would have a chance of defeating Freezestar.

"How about you name one, and I name the other?" Grassfeather's soft mew brought Leafstorm back to reality. The IceClan warrior gazed down at his kits, twitching his ears to signal to his mate to choose a name first. She lightly touched her tail on the silver-gray she-cat. "I like the name Hailkit for her, because her flecks remind me of a hailstorm."

Leafstorm nodded. "I like that name," He murmured, studying the golden tabby tom. Since the small kit looked so much like his father, Leafstorm would like to name him after the mighty warrior. There seemed to be so many Lionpaw's and Lionkit's running around these days, though. "I think I'd like to name him Blazekit," He angled his ears toward the golden tabby. "After my father." Leafstorm's voice cracked, but thankfully, Grassfeather didn't seem to notice.

"Perfect," Grassfeather purred, looking up at her mate with her clear green eyes. "I'll send a cat to you the moment they open their eyes. Now, you have to patrol so Freezestar or Stoneheart don't catch you over here."

Leafstorm's heart sank, but he knew the beautiful silver-furred she-cat was right. Warriors were only allowed to visit each other during the nighttime, or when they weren't patrolling for the day. Leafstorm didn't have a patrol, but he knew he should be hunting. "Yeah," He mumbled, with one last glance at his kits. "I'll go back to the main camp. I'll try and visit you as much as I can."

He descended down the stairs and towards the forest. Most of the IceClan cats hunted in ThunderClan's woods, because hunting in their old territories was too much walking. The WindClan cats preferred to hunt in their moorlands, though. Freezestar always kept a guard on their hunting patrols whenever they hunted so they didn't get any ideas.

Sighing, the mottled tom opened his senses, looking for prey. His life had become a mess ever since this IceClan deal. Leafstorm hardly saw any of his Clanmates anymore; not even Flameclaw, Honeytail, or Featherwing. They were all kept so busy that they had almost no contact with each other. Leafstorm assumed that Freezestar was putting them through all of this work so they didn't have any contact; so they didn't start a rebellion.

_Freezestar's clever,_ He admitted to himself as he padded through the IceClan camp, _He plays this game well. It's hard to think that he's a rogue and not a Clan cat... he certainly knows our ways, and how to corrupt him... surely there must be a darker power controlling him? No cat could possibly be as evil and twisted as Freezestar is._

Upon arriving, Leafstorm realized that he had forgotten to hunt. _Mouse dung._ As he was about to turn around and leave the camp, he heard a voice call his name. Turning around, Leafstorm saw Jayfeather, his kin, looking him straight in the eye. It was strange; Jayfeather was blind, yet sometimes Leafstorm felt as if Jayfeather could actually see him.

"What?" asked Leafstorm, narrowing his eyes. Many cats told Leafstorm that he inherited his uncle's prickly attitude, but they didn't know where his arrogance came from. Surely not Jayfeather. _He has nothing to be arrogant _about, Leafstorm thought with an internal smile. Quickly, he closed his thoughts because he realized that Jayfeather could read his emotions.

"Come to my den," Jayfeather growled, turning around. Calling over his shoulder, he mewed, "It's about tonight."

Leafstorm felt an excited rush almost sweep him off his paws; he couldn't wait for the dream tonight. Yeah, he had been rude to Wrensong, but she was rude, too. She was a ShadowClan cat, and Leafstorm wanted to prove that they weren't better. Plus, Flameclaw had been beaten up by her a thousand times. He had to be cautious, and show the annoying striped she-cat who was boss.

The mottled tom followed the former ThunderClan medicine cat to his den. Glancing around, Leafstorm realized that no other cats were there, including Lilystripe. _Good,_ thought Leafstorm. He didn't want any cat overhearing this conversation; Leafstorm wanted the glory of possibly saving the Clans to himself. Sure, the other three could take some credit, but he wanted Jayfeather to know that he was going to be the leader in this operation.

"What is it?" Leafstorm asked when the two were in a comfortable sitting position. "We've already planned everything. You do your job, and then I'll take charge. Got it?"

Jayfeather curled his lip. "Don't order me around," He growled, his blue eyes flashing. "I came to warn you about tonight, actually. Have you considered what you'd do if Stoneheart wasn't... who you thought he was? What if he's so close to Freezestar, and he's going to tell him all of your plans? You'd probably be killed."

"I'd like to see him try," snarled Leafstorm, fluffing out his tail and sinking his claws into the peaty ground; he pretended the ground was Freezestar's fur. "I can kill him any day."

"Maybe," Jayfeather hissed. "But be practical, Leafstorm. Freezestar's no fool. He'd infect you with a sickness even worse than greencough, and then what would happen if one of the Four died? You could be unable to fulfill the prophecy. You would put your Clanmates in danger, and IceClan might be unstoppable after that."

"Then why are you telling me this?" Leafstorm flashed back. "Stoneheart is the fourth, I know it. Are you telling me you're not going to follow through with our plan? That's cowardly, Jayfeather."

Leafstorm could almost feel the rage pulsing from underneath Jayfeather's pelt. "Me? A _coward_? Leafstorm, I've gone through more danger than you have, maybe more than you ever _will_. Of course I'm going to follow through on the plan, but I'm just telling you to be careful. You have to size Stoneheart up before you spill all of your secrets to him. He may be potentially dangerous."

"Yeah, and he might be our savior, too!" Leafstorm growled. "Look, I understand what you're saying, and I'm suspicious, too. But I've known Stoneheart before this, when he was just a 'paw. He was one of the most thoughtful and kind cats I knew. I don't know what happened to him, he's changed a lot."

"Exactly," hissed Jayfeather. "Freezestar may have tortured him or done _something_, we don't know. I'm just telling you to be careful. You never know who to trust these days. If you want ThunderClan and the other Clans to be released from Freezestar's icy grip, be careful. Finding the Four will certainly help, but only if you do it with caution."

* * *

_He was awaken by a sharp paw prodding him. Grumbling angrily, the mottled tom opened his eyes and saw Jayfeather standing over him, a dark gray tabby tom with wide blue eyes next to him. Leafstorm pushed himself to his paws and shot Jayfeather a questioning glare, who flicked his tail irritably. "You're dreaming," He muttered. "If that isn't obvious enough." _

_Leafstorm looked around the space he was in. It was a beautiful forest, with starlight shimmering anywhere. He opened his mouth and caught a strong scent of prey. There was only one place that could be this beautiful and have so much prey during leaf-bare... StarClan. Leafstorm glanced at the tabby next to him. _

_"I'm Galepaw," The apprentice explained. Leafstorm hadn't formally met with Galepaw because the WindClan apprentice was always hunting on his own territory, and they didn't share a camp. Leafstorm had met with Wrensong many times, and she had told him about Galepaw. Apparently, he could run faster than the wind. "You must be Leafstorm."_

_"Yeah," Leafstorm mewed, liking the apprentice's polite and kind nature. He was so unlike Wrensong, who criticized Leafstorm's every move and word he said. The mottled warrior was about to question the powerful WindClan apprentice more, but a hiss of impatience from Jayfeather stopped him. Exchanging an annoyed glance with Galepaw, Leafstorm bounded forward after Jayfeather. He noticed that Galepaw was trotting beside Leafstorm, but his trot was Leafstorm's fastest sprint._

_Soon, they arrived in a dark pine forest that reminded Leafstorm of ShadowClan territory. However, there was more light in this territory, and everything glimmered with stars. Jayfeather slowed down his pace until he reached a pine tree. The branches were shaking above, and Leafstorm guessed a cat was hunting there. A yowl of triumph sounded from the top of the tree as a brown-striped she-cat raced down, her green eyes alight with pride. In her jaws was a squirrel._

_Jayfeather flicked his tail irritably, obviously impatient. "Let's go," He growled angrily to Wrensong, who immediately dropped her squirrel once she realized what was going on. "I have better things I can be doing." Wrensong bared her teeth, but didn't dare question the respected ThunderClan medicine cat. Jayfeather bounded on, the three cats on his tail, until they reached a rivery, marshy territory. Leafstorm had never been on RiverClan territory except for when he was arriving at Gatherings, but he imagined it must have looked like this. _

_On the shore lay a dark gray tom with misty blue eyes. He lazily dabbed his paw in the water and circled it, creating ripples. His eyes shone as the ripples spread out from his paw, and he seemed calm. It took Leafstorm a few moments to recognize this peaceful cat as Stoneheart, the ruthless deputy of IceClan who wasn't afraid to get his paws bloody. _

_As the four cats arrived, his ears pricked and his eyes sought out the four cats. Stoneheart didn't unsheathe his claws; he simply got onto his paws and dipped his head to Jayfeather. Galepaw let out a squeak of surprise, but Stoneheart didn't seem to notice. The dark gray tom gazed at each cat in turn until he turned back to Jayfeather. "Why are you here?" He asked._

_"They are the other three, and you are one of the Four," Jayfeather mewed quietly, waving his tail to the three cats behind him. "These are the cats you must find, and they will help you destroy Freezestar and the seven plagues." Galepaw had filled Jayfeather in on the seven plagues, but the medicine cat had already suspected them. Leafstorm was impressed by the silver cat's knowledge._

_Stoneheart's eyes darkened. "I-I'm still working on that," He muttered uneasily, glancing at Leafstorm. "D-do all three of you have some sort of power, too?"_

_"Yes," Leafstorm spoke up for the group. Wrensong flashed him a furious glance, but Galepaw didn't seem to care. "We all have a unique power that will help stop the seven plagues and the eighth plague; Freezestar. But I have one question, Stoneheart. How do we know that we can trust you? Will you go back mewling to Freezestar and tell him of our plans?"_

_Stoneheart narrowed his misty-blue eyes, and his lips began to curl into a snarl. Leafstorm wasn't intimidated, though; however, he admitted to himself that the IceClan deputy was very terrifying. The dark gray tabby glanced around, then let his fur lie flat. "You think I'm actually sworn to allegiance to Freezestar? I'm a loyal cat. I won't tell him anything; I haven't even told him my power yet. Or about the prophecy."  
_

_"But you've killed cats," Galepaw said, his eyes wide and his legs quivering with fear. "You allowed Freezestar to put the she-cats into enslavement, and you don't even blink an eye while doing it." Upon Stoneheart's furious gaze, the apprentice backed up a step. "I-I'm sorry... but I'm a bit wary."_

_"I can see where you're coming from," Stoneheart conceded. "And if you all don't trust me then I suppose I'm doing my job. Well, here's the truth, and if you tell it to any cat, I'll personally kill you." He paused and glanced at the ground. "I-I've just discovered my power, to be honest. I didn't really pay attention to the dreams StarClan gave me. I thought the only way to defeat Freezestar was becoming close to him and finding out his secrets and weaknesses." His eyes narrowed. "I saw him kill my mother and my brother. I was only an apprentice, so I couldn't fight him. I thought, if you can't beat them, join them. I had to kill cats so Freezestar would think I'm completely loyal. But before I kill cats, I let them know." The deputy flicked his tail awkwardly. "I apologize."_

_Leafstorm was appalled. He had no idea that Mistystar and Reedwhisker were murdered by Freezestar, although he knew it was pretty obvious at this point. But, Stoneheart wasn't finished yet. _

_"Freezestar has been trained by the Dark Forest," Stoneheart explained. "They contacted him as a rogue and brought him in. Because RiverClan was weak at the time and in need of warriors after the drought and famine last greenleaf, they accepted a strong warrior like Freezestar without question. Before he was a warrior, the Dark Forest trained him everything. He's a deadly killer. He brought me to the Dark Forest once. There's only five cats there, now..."_

_Leafstorm felt a pang when he remembered that he himself had visited the Dark Forest. Thistleclaw had spoken to him._

_"They're not finished with the Clans. Freezestar's already bad cat, but he's heavily influenced by the Dark Forest. With that, you get a tyrant like he is today. He's an incredible fighter, and nearly impossible to beat. He has spies everywhere that can pick up every word said against him. He bribes them by telling them he wouldn't harm them or their kin, but of course that's a lie. Freezestar has played his game well." Stoneheart flicked his tail, almost as if he was in defeat. "I-I don't know how we can beat him."_

_"We can plan that later," Wrensong mewed, speaking up for the first time. "I believe you, Stoneheart, and I think you're brave and all, but how will we meet during the daytime? We can't have Jayfeather wasting his time making us dream together, and like you've said, it's impossible to talk about Freezestar without getting punished. Plus, you have an important position. If you were gone for a moment, Freezestar would notice."_

_Stoneheart's eyes sparkled, and he grinned. "Freezestar lets me hunt from sunhigh to dusk," He murmured. "He holds meetings at moonhigh and dawn, as you know. But I have a power, too, a power that would be perfect for this sort of job..." He trailed off, and Leafstorm could practically see the ideas whirling through his mind._

_"What?" urged Leafstorm._

_"I can change my appearance at will," explained Stoneheart. "So, I could talk to you guys at daytime disguised as another cat. It'd be really useful, too. I could see which cats are against Freezestar, while also seeing what Freezestar is up to. I didn't see the use of it before, but now I know why I was blessed with this power. I can spy."_

_"You'd really do that for us?" asked Galepaw, his blue eyes wide. "That's pretty brave, and it's putting yourself in a big risk..." _

_Stoneheart shrugged. "It's really no harm to me. Freezestar has no idea, and all he does is sit in his den all day. I have to report to him at dusk and dawn, and there's plenty of time in between that. Look, this cat killed my mother, father, and my brother; all in cold blood. I'd do anything to get him back."_

_Leafstorm believed him; Stoneheart's intense gaze seemed enough to burn through his fur. Then, a sudden thought occurred to him. "How would we know who you are?" He asked. "Just in case we wanted to find you out, or something."_

_The dark gray tom smiled. "My eye color remains the same," He mewed. "I'm lucky because it's pretty recognizable."_

_"Then, that's that," Leafstorm mewed, dipping his head to Stoneheart. "You're really brave. Okay, we'll meet tomorrow at sunset. Discuss what you've found out then, and come as another cat. We'll meet by the Twoleg nest in ShadowClan territory, do you all know what that is?"_

_The three cats nodded; Wrensong rolled her eyes as she was nodding. __Jayfeather seemed to have left._

_Leafstorm smiled to himself. The Four were together at last._

* * *

**AN: Gosh no, Breezepelt won't be Crowfeather xD He may seem like that, but there's going to be a sudden realization moment. He still loves Galepaw and Fogpaw, promise.**

**Yeah Leafstorm is really rude & obnoxious, lol. I needed at least one incredibly annoying character ;)**

**Okay now you will hopefully see where Stoneheart's powers come into play :) Kind of like Ivypool, but, uh, with powers~ Haha.**

**Thanks for the reviews guys! *heart***


	32. T h i r t y

**The Legacy of the Three: Chapter Thirty**

_Stoneheart ._

_Have I done the right thing?_ The question bothered Stoneheart all day. Last night, he had reported his findings about a possible rebellion to the other three. They were good cats to work with; well, not really. Wrensong he would always favor, but Leafstorm acted as if he were the leader. Stoneheart simply ignored it; he knew he had more power in IceClan than Leafstorm, therefore making him more important, but what did it matter? There were more important things to think about.

Like the thought of one of the other three spilling his cover. If Freezestar even heard the suggestion that Stoneheart was a traitor, Stoneheart knew he'd be tossed out of the deputy position. And then where would the future of the Clans be? They would still be trapped in IceClan. The cats had began to lost sense of who they were and where they came from. Stoneheart couldn't even distinguish what Clan a cat once belonged to anymore.

At dawn, he approached Freezestar's den. It was on top of the Highledge, while Stoneheart's was below the ledge. The other representatives from each Clan slept in the warriors' den of their Clanmates. Stoneheart ran through the representatives again; Breezepelt of WindClan, Tigerheart of ShadowClan, and Bramblestar of ThunderClan. The three were forbidden to have any contact with each other because Freezestar feared of rebellion.

"Freezestar?" Stoneheart called out from outside the IceClan leader's den. He spoke with confidence; Freezestar would expect nothing but confidence from his second-in-command. When he heard a meow of 'enter', Stoneheart stepped into the den, bunching his shoulders and trying to look powerful.

Freezestar flicked his tail in welcome. "I have news," He rumbled as Stoneheart sat opposite of him. The leader's icy blue eyes sparkled as he glared down at Stoneheart. Internally, Stoneheart was intimidated, but he couldn't show that, of course. The faded gray tom didn't take his gaze off of his second in command. Not waiting for Stoneheart to confirm this, he mewed, "We will have two new warriors today, Hollypaw and Firepaw. Bramblestar tells me they need a moon more of training, but I don't believe him. Firepaw's one of my most trusted cats, even though he's not a warrior. I'm sure the ThunderClan cats would be upset if I didn't make Hollypaw a warrior, so I guess I'm going to have to do that."

Stoneheart couldn't help but feel a tiny bit disappointed. He was hoping that Freezestar would discuss battle plans or something like that; something Stoneheart could report back to the Four. "That's... great," Stoneheart mewed, trying not to be hesitant. "Freezestar, can I ask you a question?"

"What?" growled the IceClan leader.

"Do you trust me?" Stoneheart blurted. Before Freezestar clawed him, he mewed quickly, "I mean, I know you trust me, but say you died... would you trust me to lead IceClan? Or would you put a cat like Firepaw in charge?" Stoneheart didn't think of this idea; thoughtful Galepaw had. The gray tom wished he had, though, it was a sure way of getting Freezestar to spill some secrets.

"Of course I trust you," Freezestar mewed loftily, rolling his eyes as he flicked his tail irritably. "Cats like Firepaw are tools in my game; I use them to win. You, however, are different. I can trust you with anything, including killing cats. You haven't let your sister or the deaths of your family get in the way when you swore allegiance to me. In fact, I trust you so much, I think I may just tell you something important about me. But, I'm only telling you this because it's my greatest weakness. After I tell you this, you'll realize why I need so much protection... why I'm so fragile."

Stoneheart's heart began to quicken, and he almost pricked his ears in interest. But he couldn't do that; he had to appear indifferent. He didn't want Freezestar to think that he would take advantage of his 'weakness'... whatever that was. "You have no weaknesses," rumbled Stoneheart loyally. "You are the great Freezestar, weakness or not."

"Thank you..." purred Freezestar silkily, a triumphant gleam in his eyes. _He thinks that he's converted me! _"But, I do. I was not given nine lives by StarClan, and that sign was not sent by StarClan... it was sent by an even greater power. The Dark Forest... but because of the Great Battle, there are only five Dark Forest cats left... four now, because Mapleshade is gone. When I went to the Moonpool, they granted me only five lives. And since Rowanstar killed me, I only have four."

Stoneheart had to stop himself from gasping aloud. Freezestar only had _four_ lives? That was incredible! That meant that Freezestar was extremely vulnerable right now... and Stoneheart had to act as if it was a gripping matter. "I will station two guards right away," promised Stoneheart. "They must not be cats like Firepaw; they may take advantage of your weakness. I'll appoint strong cats that aren't as clever." _Cats who want to rebel against you._

Freezestar nodded. "Thank you, comrade. I knew I could trust you with a secret as big as this. Now, get out of my den. I'm calling a meeting to name Firepaw and his sister."

Stoneheart dipped his head and exited the den. He felt as if he had accomplished everything that Wrensong had asked of him; but there was still more to do. The deputy had to appoint two cats that were for the rebellion and hated Freezestar, but how could he do that without giving his cover away? He would have chosen Galepaw and Wrensong, but Wrensong was about to kit, and Galepaw was an apprentice. Freezestar would want big, strong cats to be his bodyguards.

"Cats of IceClan! Every cat get underneath the Highledge for a Clan meeting!" Freezestar's informal call for a meeting jolted Stoneheart out of his thoughts. He settled underneath the Highledge as half of the IceClan cats gathered under Freezestar. The others were out hunting or in the abandoned Twoleg nest, where WindClan and ShadowClan were located. "Firepaw and Hollypaw, step forward!"

The ginger tom named after the mighty leader stepped forward, followed by his dark tabby sister. They both had glittering emerald green eyes; that was how you could tell they were related. Stoneheart spotted Bramblestar and Squirrelflight, their parents, sitting farther off with their heads bowed. _They must be ashamed that another cat is naming their kits, and how they let Freezestar take over their Clan like this._

The past few quarter-moons, Freezestar's warrior ceremony had changed drastically. "Firepaw, you're about to be a warrior. Make the pledge and show me that you are fit to become a full warrior of the mightiest warrior Clan the forests and valleys have ever known; IceClan."

"I pledge to follow Freezestar!" Firepaw called to the stars. Stoneheart wasn't surprised at the ginger tom's confidence. Usually, new warriors whispered these words with shame. "I pledge to kill whoever opposes him! I pledge to follow IceClan forever! I pledge all of these things with certainty! Freezestar, please accept my pledges and allow me to become a warrior under your name!"

"I accept your pledges!" yowled Freezestar from the Highledge. He leaped down from the ledge and padded in front of Firepaw. The ginger tom's green eyes glittered as he bowed down to Freezestar for a few moments, whispering praise and thanks. Finally, when he stood up, Freezestar nodded briskly to him. "You shall now be known as Fireblaze. I honor your aggression and courage."

Fireblaze dipped his head once more to Freezestar and sat where Freezestar's biggest supporters were watching on. Stoneheart saw Flameclaw congratulate his friend, and soon the other elite warriors of IceClan were yowling, "Fireblaze!" To the skies. Stoneheart didn't join in; he never did.

Hollypaw stepped forward. Her green eyes shone with a confidence that not even Fireblaze possessed. Stoneheart was curious. Hollypaw wasn't a part of Freezestar's biggest supporters; he had heard her talk of rebellion to her father a few times.

"Hollypaw, to become a warrior, you must make the pledge as Fireblaze just did," Freezestar mewed quietly. Stoneheart knew that the leader was sizing up the apprentice to see if she was as ambitious and fierce as her brother. Every cat in the audience was watching Hollypaw curiously, even Bramblestar raised his head to watch his daughter.

"I pledge to follow Bramblestar," Hollypaw growled. Stoneheart's stomach tightened. No! "I pledge to stand up for what I believe in, which is not any of this. I pledge to follow StarClan. I pledge to follow my real Clan, ThunderClan, forever. I pledge all of these things with certainty. Freezestar, don't accept my pledges. I would never wish to become a warrior under your name."

Fireblaze yowled a small, 'no!', but Bramblestar and Squirrelflight were looking at their daughter with extreme pride. Freezestar's icy eyes glimmered, and his lip curled back. "Very well," He mewed quietly. He turned to Fireblaze, who was watching the scene with his mouth open. "Fireblaze. I am testing your pledges. Kill your sister."

_Fireblaze is going to kill her!_ Stoneheart stopped breathing when he saw Fireblaze, his green eyes dripping with anger, approach Hollypaw. Suddenly, he turned around and faced Freezestar. The newest IceClan warrior didn't flinch under his gaze. "No," He mewed simply.

"You just pledged that you would kill any cat to oppose me," Freezestar's voice began to get angry. Stoneheart tensed; he knew that if there was trouble, Freezestar would probably call upon him to kill Hollypaw. Stoneheart wasn't sure if Freezestar would kill Fireblaze, one of his biggest supporters. But Fireblaze had just opposed him, so Stoneheart wasn't sure. "That includes your sister. Go on, kill her. Let's see how big of a warrior you are."

"Then I take back my pledges," growled Fireblaze, stepping protectively in front of his sister. "I would never kill my littermate, and not even you can make me do that. I may have lost my Clan scent, or killed some of my Clanmates, but I would never harm a hair on my sister's pelt. Kin means a lot to me, Freezestar."

"Let's fight him together," Stoneheart heard Hollypaw hiss from behind Fireblaze. "Two lives against nine. I'm sure we could beat him. Come on, let's go. For the sake of the Clans, right? Haven't you always wanted to live up to Firestar's name? This is our chance." Stoneheart's heart ached for their confidence. They would have made great warriors.

Freezestar didn't appear to have heard, but his icy eyes were still trained on Fireblaze. Suddenly, Fireblaze leapt at Freezestar, his claws extended. Hollypaw followed him, baring her fangs and lashing her tail. The two littermates fell on top of Freezestar, clawing every bit of him that they could. But Freezestar was still a formidable fighter. He sent Hollypaw flying with his powerful hind legs; she hit a rock on the hollow and lay motionless.

Fireblaze yowled a 'no!', as his sister hit the rock with a sickening thud. While he was distracted, Freezestar sunk his teeth into the ginger tom's neck, about to kill him. A dark tabby shape jumped on top of Freezestar just as Fireblaze was beginning to twitch. For a moment Stoneheart thought Hollypaw had returned, but the figure was too big and broad-shouldered.

"Stop this!" snarled Bramblestar, shoving Freezestar against the hollow. "You're killing off your own warriors one by one."

The faded gray tom rounded on Bramblestar, baring his sharp teeth. "You're only saying that because the cats I was about to kill are your kits." He lunged at Bramblestar, but the dark tabby easily dodged him and sent him flying to the ground.

"Maybe," Bramblestar growled, "But there are more important matters right now. Half of your warriors are in Jayfeather and Willowshine's den because of mice and squirrels they ate. They are dying. You must do something about it, but you're too busy trying to kill a bunch of apprentices. Start caring about your great Clan for once." Lashing his tail, the former ThunderClan leader returned back to the crowd. Small mews of appreciation whispered through the audience, but Freezestar silenced them with a stare.

"Stoneheart, find out what's going on," He mewed quietly. "I'm going up to my den." In a louder voice, Freezestar called, "This meeting is over! Go back to patrolling and hunting, but do not hunt squirrels or mice! They may be poisoned."

"What will we eat?" called out Featherwing from the back of the crowd. Her eyes looked haunted after what she had just witnessed. Stoneheart knew that Hollypaw, Honeytail and Featherwing of ThunderClan were very close, so the fact that Hollypaw had nearly died must have scared the new warrior. That's what Freezestar wanted; fear.

His eyes glittered cruelly, and he glanced at the audience of cats. "We must hunt in the former WindClan and RiverClan territories," Freezestar announced after a moments' pause. "The rabbits are probably safe, because no cat has gotten ill from them. In the meantime, go out and hunt in the RiverClan and WindClan territories, but only catch fish and rabbits. Flameclaw, spread the word to the ShadowClan and WindClan camp."

The dark ginger tabby nodded and sped out of the thorn tunnel. Stoneheart noticed that he didn't even glance at his friend, Fireblaze, crouched on the ground next to his dazed sister Hollypaw. Stoneheart wasn't sure if Fireblaze would keep his warrior name, but realized that Freezestar probably would have killed Fireblaze if he wasn't to keep it. The gray tom felt a pang for Hollypaw; she would never be a warrior. IceClan may rule forever, who knew?

"Go," Freezestar growled to Stoneheart when the meeting was dismissed. His faded gray tail was waving towards the medicine cat den, and Stoneheart got the message immediately, remembering that Freezestar wanted him to see what was happening. With a flick of his ear, Stoneheart padded towards the medicine cat den.

Upon entering, he heard the noise of many cats retching. There was a disgusting scent of sickness. Snorting in disdain, Stoneheart padded deeper into the den where the sick cats were. Two former ThunderClan cats passed him, holding a body. Stoneheart felt icy claws grip his heart; this must be the third plague, if it brought so much death.

"What is it?" Jayfeather growled as he scented Stoneheart. The silver tabby was working side-by-side with the former RiverClan medicine cats; Mothwing and Willowshine. They were all feeding the sick cats some leaves that made them retch moments later. Stoneheart cringed, thankful that he had eaten a starling today.

"Freezestar wanted me to check what was going on, and which cats were dead," murmured Stoneheart, remembering to keep his cover around Jayfeather. He felt as if the silver tabby medicine cat didn't trust him, but he couldn't think about that right now. Somehow, he had to hint to Jayfeather that he thought this was the third plague.

Stoneheart ignored Willowshine's disgusted snort as he mentioned Freezestar's name. Lilystripe, the apprentice ThunderClan medicine cat, spoke up from behind Jayfeather. "So far, we have about two dead cats. Birchfall from ThunderClan and Mallownose from RiverClan. W-we didn't have enough herbs to cure them."

The deputy twitched his whiskers; he had to show no emotion. "Okay," He confirmed the deaths, nodding to the ThunderClan apprentice. When Jayfeather padded over to him, Stoneheart murmured into his ear, "Do you think this is... the third plague? It brings death and suffering."

Jayfeather flicked an ear, and stared at Stoneheart for a moment. "Yes," He whispered finally, his blind blue eyes staring into Stoneheart. Stoneheart was taken aback by the intensity there, but he continued to listen to the medicine cat. "Obviously it's a plague, Stoneheart. There's no Twoleg reek in the prey, but it's been poisoned. It's your job to find out when it ends, I have all of the herbs I need here."

"What do you mean, it's my job?" Stoneheart asked, glaring at the confusion ThunderClan cat. Couldn't he just make sense, for at least a moment in his life? "What do you expect me to do, go to sleep and dream? Hope that StarClan will come to me and utter another ominous prophecy?"

Jayfeather shrugged. "I suppose. That's how it usually works." He mumbled, before turning away and working on the patients.

* * *

_The clearing glittered with shafts of moonlight. The tall trees above obscured the light. The stars shone coldly above, not giving the gray tom any comfort. He glanced around the clearing, feeling a small sense of pride. Jayfeather was right; StarClan had come to him, after all. Stoneheart didn't expect them to._

_"Stoneheart," His mother's voice greeted him. Gasping with delight, Stoneheart rushed over to his mother and embraced her. He purred as she licked his ear in welcome; something she used to do when Stoneheart was a small kit. Then, he pulled away and looked into his mother's misty blue eyes. "StarClan honors your bravery," She whispered. "You're doing well." _

_"Am I?" Stoneheart felt warmed by his mother's praise. He hadn't had a dream from StarClan in about a moon; he thought his warrior ancestors had abandoned him. "I-I didn't think you'd want to dream with me. I thought I'd be in that dreaded forest again. StarClan knows of my plans, right? They don't think I'm evil?"_

_"We don't," Mistystar confirmed. "However, do not base your actions on what StarClan thinks. Do what you think is right, not what another cat does." She cleared her throat, not pressing the matter. "I am proud that the Four have found each other. You have recently endured the third plague; it was meant for ThunderClan, but struck IceClan because ThunderClan is residing there. The Four could not stop this plague, but it is over now. You will be powerless to stop the next one, too."_

_Stoneheart found himself getting angry. "Powerless?" He growled, his lips forming into a menacing snarl. "I thought the Four were supposed to stop these plagues; not sit by and watch it happen! We were granted these powers for no reason, then?" Stoneheart didn't want to disrespect his mother, but he stood by his opinion._

_"This is the last one you will be powerless against," Mistystar promised, her voice still calm. "It is the cruelest plague the Dark Forest will send. It will affect all queens and living kits; but not warriors or apprentices..." She blinked, shaking her head. "It's so cruel," She whispered._

_"What is it?" demanded Stoneheart, feeling sick. All he could think about was Wrensong; who was kitting in a few days. Would the plague kill all of the queens? What could the Four do without Wrensong; what could the Four do if they were missing a cat? Could the prophecy still continue?_

_Mistystar's eyes grew ominous. "The fourth plague is the worst plague for the future of the Clans. The first-born from each litter shall perish tomorrow."_

* * *

**AN: I cannot thank you guys enough for the incredible reviews I've been getting. You guys are awesome, thank you so much! *hugs***


	33. T h i r t y O n e

**The Legacy of the Three: Chapter Thirty One**

_Wrensong ._

A jolting pain in Wrensong's stomach woke her up. Gasping, she opened her eyes and yowled in pain. She looked around her surroundings and realized that she was still on the lakeshore. _Mouse dung! _She thought angrily, letting out another pained yowl as a spasm shook her. What was happening? Wrensong screeched for help as pain seemed to rip her stomach apart, but no help came. Gritting her teeth, she decided that she would have to drag herself to the forest in order to be heard.

Pain gripped her stomach, making her stop at times, but Wrensong didn't stop. She was confused on what was happening. There was no blood on her stomach, or a scratch to make it bleed. The striped she-cat hadn't eaten anything out of the ordinary, either, and these definitely weren't stomach pains. As another spasm ripped through her, Wrensong gasped in realization. She must be kitting!

"Help!" Wrensong yowled to the heavens as pain coursed through her body. She had helped Mousepelt kit before, but with all of this pain, how was she supposed to help herself? There wasn't a wise elder to help her here this time. The abandoned Twoleg nest was at the farthest point from the lake, and Lightpaw was probably there. _StarClan, why are you punishing me like this?_

A silver tabby shape hurled through the ferns as a pretty she-cat emerged with wide blue eyes. She stared at Wrensong scrabbling and gasping in pain among the undergrowth, and turned around. _No! Don't leave, please!_ Wrensong begged in her mind, unable to speak the words, but the she-cat was yowling for help. As Wrensong's bleary eyes focused on the she-cat, she realized that her savior was her sister, Featherwing.

"Get a medicine cat!" Featherwing was yowling to a dark ginger shape further in the undergrowth. _Flameclaw! He won't help me! _"Flameclaw, it's our _sister_. She's our kin, and now she's in our Clan. Come on." The ginger shape darted away, and Featherwing crouched down next to Wrensong, her blue eyes shining. "I-I'm not exactly sure what to do," She stammered, handing Wrensong a stick. "But I know you bite on this when the pain comes."

Wrensong did not have the strength to make words, but she gripped the stick in her mouth without question. Featherwing raced off and set a small, mossy nest beside Wrensong. Her eyes glimmered sadly. "This'll help," She murmured as she reinforced the makeshift nest with more moss and bracken. Wrensong muttered something, confused, and Featherwing flicked her tail as if she understood. "We're littermates," She mewed kindly. "These kits are my kin, too. I'm not coldhearted like you may think I am." Wrensong found that she had gained a glimmer of respect for her sister.

Wrensong was about to murmur an apology, but a ripping sensation exploded from her stomach. The former ShadowClan warrior gasped in pain, gripping the stick, as the pain raced through her body. A spasm shook her, and Featherwing lightly felt her churning stomach with her paws. "A kit's coming," She warned, gazing at Wrensong with pity.

"How... do... you... know...?" Wrensong managed to gasp as another spasm seemed to tear her apart.

"I wanted to be the medicine cat apprentice," Featherwing admitted. "I followed Jayfeather around a lot and helped him with chores. I was there when Squirrelflight was kitting, so I kind of remember what to do and what happens. You're in good paws until some medicine cat comes, which shouldn't be awhile."

Wrensong was grateful that her sister didn't ask whose kits these were. She didn't feel ready to admit that she had been sneaking off with a respected WindClan warrior for moons and was bearing his kits. What would Galepaw do when he found out? Fogpaw already knew, but Wrensong didn't want the Four to be torn apart because of her choices. Suddenly, an agonizing pain tore through her as something slipped out onto the moss.

"Your first!" Featherwing gasped, bending down to lick the kit. Wrensong faintly noticed that Featherwing was licking the kit the opposite way of its fur in order to warm it. "What a beautiful kit, Wrensong! Keep going, there's going to be a few more!"

Wrensong didn't have the strength to even look at her kit. She hardly noticed when Kestrelflight barreled through the ferns and skidded beside her, packets of herbs in his mouth. Flameclaw followed, his eyes immediately softening as he saw Featherwing taking care of Wrensong's first kit. Wrensong faintly heard her sister mew to her brother, "Look, Flameclaw. Our kin." Wrensong was relieved when her brother didn't make a stinging remark.

Kestrelflight briefly nodded to Wrensong. "Alright, Featherwing's done very well. She gave you a stick. Nice job, Featherwing. Anyway. You're going to have a lot of kits, Wrensong, but I don't think your kitting will be long. I can't give you any medications because birthing is completely natural. If you're in pain, just bite down on the stick."

_I know that!_ Wrensong thought hotly, but she knew better than to oppose a well-respected medicine cat. Plus, she didn't even know if she had strength to utter any words. She bit down on the stick hard, feeling like she would break it, when a painful spasm shook her again. A happy yowl sounded and Wrensong assumed that another kit had been born. She was unable to look up, she was so tired.

The former ShadowClan she-cat ended up with four healthy kits. Three toms, and one she-kit. Featherwing and Flameclaw stayed there throughout the whole process, looking at Wrensong's kits with something like wonder. Wrensong didn't say anything when arrogant Flameclaw bent forward and licked all four kits on the forehead, his eyes glimmering with a happy emotion that Wrensong couldn't place.

They each carried a kit back to the abandoned Twoleg nest. Wrensong carried her first-born, who was a copy of Tigerheart. Wrensong wasn't sure if he would have her father's glimmering amber eyes, but he had the same dark brown tabby pelt. Wrensong felt a certain attraction towards him; he seemed like he would make a strong warrior. _All of my kits will._

Wrensong hardly had the strength to pad up the stairs. Kestrelflight and Featherwing helped her, flanking either side and practically dragging her up. Finally, when she reached her nest, she collapsed onto it, her eyes weary with sleep. She didn't want to sleep, though; this was the first time her littermates were together without them fighting. _These kits can bring us together._

"Oh, Wrensong!" Her best friend, Mousepelt, yowled from the far side of the Twoleg nest. Setting her lone kit down, she bounded over to Wrensong and lightly touched noses. "Your kits! I-I had no idea they were due today! Weren't they due tomorrow?" Her amber eyes lit up as she gazed down at Wrensong's kits. Not waiting for an answer, she mewed, "You're so lucky to have four beautiful kits. Do you know what you're going to name them?"

Wrensong stared down at her kits. She wanted Breezepelt to name one, and she wanted to name one, as well. She wasn't sure of what to name the two. The she-cat glanced up at her brother and sister. "Would... would you like to help me name two?" She asked, hoping this would set all of their previous quarrels aside.

Flameclaw looked confused, all of his arrogance gone. "You... want us to name them?" He echoed, puzzled. "You'd really give us that honor? What about the father?" Wrensong knew that her brother hadn't meant his last question as a barb, but it stung all the same. Breezepelt was out on patrol, and he had missed the kitting. _It was unexpected, he'll understand._

Wrensong nodded. "Go on," She mewed, glancing at her sister. "Each of you two can name one. They're your kin, after all."

Her littermates stared down at the kits, pondering. Besides the dark brown tabby, there was a jet black tom that looked like Breezepelt, a dark ginger tom with a white underbelly and paws, and finally a mottled gray and silver she-cat with soft fur like Featherwing's. Featherwing stepped forward and lightly touched the jet black tom. As she did, he raised his head and let out a pitiful mew. He had white paws and a white dash on his chest. "I like Ravenkit for this one," She whispered, glancing up at Wrensong for approval.

Wrensong nodded. Ravenkit did suit the raven-colored tom. He looked nimble but strong; Wrensong hoped he would make it. She glanced up at Flameclaw, who lightly laid his tail on the mottled silver and gray she-cat. "Maybe Ripplekit for her," He murmured, his blue eyes soft. "Because her mottled tabby pelt looks like ripples."

Flameclaw was right; the she-kits mottled silver and gray tabby markings did look like soft ripples in the water. "That's a good name for her," She nodded, dipping her head politely to her siblings. "Thank you both. Without you guys one of my kits may have died."

Featherwing and Flameclaw shrugged, like it was no big deal. Wrensong was surprised at Flameclaw's modest attitude; he had never really cared much for Wrensong. _Maybe he's a softie for kits,_ Wrensong assumed. _Especially because they're his kin. But having kin in different Clans didn't seem to matter before... _Wrensong dropped the thought as her siblings mewed goodbye and disappeared.

After they left, Mousepelt curled up in her den with her lone kit and Kestrelflight brought both of the queens some herbs and fresh kill. Wrensong mewed a polite thank you as she curled up around her kits, her eyes heavy with sleep. Her dark brown tabby tom was the closest to her. _I'd like to name him before I sleep,_ Wrensong decided, looking at her first born. _I think I'll name you Eaglekit, little guy._

Wrensong awoke to a choked, sad chorus of wails. Immediately, her eyes flew open. Her kits were still asleep, they obviously hadn't heard the noise. She glanced around the nursery and saw Grassfeather wailing in agony and Mousepelt yowling curses to StarClan. Wrensong saw the cause of the sadness; a limp kit each lay beside both of them.

"What's wrong?" Wrensong gasped, looking around. She already knew the answer, but she needed for it to be confirmed. How did these kits suddenly die? Then, her heart dropped like a rock. Was it a plague? Not caring about the answer, Wrensong sniffed each of her kits, searching for the terrible scent of death.

She found it immediately. Wrensong let out a choked yowl and buried her nose in her dead kit's fur. _Oh no, not Eaglekit... no, he was always special to me! Breezepelt didn't even get to meet him... oh no, StarClan, no... he wasn't even a day old. He had his whole life ahead of him. He should have survived... he didn't deserve to perish!_

"Wrensong?" A familiar voice sounded as a lithe, black shape emerged from the entrance to the upper floor. A gasp escaped Breezepelt's mouth when he realized that Wrensong had kits. "Y-you had kits?" He whispered, crouching down. "W-why does this one smell like he died?" When Wrensong didn't respond, he gave her a light shove. "Wrensong!"

"I-it was sudden," Wrensong choked, staring at her dead, beautiful son. _Why did he have to die? _"It happened at dawn... I-I had four kits. Featherwing and Flameclaw were there... I let them name two... I named our firstborn... Eaglekit... he's dead!" Her last words came out as a gasp as she buried her nose into her kit's fur. "Eaglekit, wake up, please, wake up! Eaglekit!"

Breezepelt pressed against her, trembling. "ThunderClan and RiverClan have lost kits, too," He murmured mysteriously. "Eaglekit will be missed. He looked like a sturdy, strong kit like your father. We must carry on, though. Our other kits will die if you ignore them. Look, they're crying for you."

Wrensong raised her nose from her dead son's fur and saw her other kits crying for milk. She attached them to her body, lightly pushing Eaglekit out of the way. She didn't want her children's first scent to be death. "T-this one still isn't named," She rasped, lightly staring at the dark ginger tom with the white underbelly and paws. "I was saving him for you."

Breezepelt stared down at the tom for a few moments, then turned his amber gaze back to Wrensong. "What are the others' names?" He murmured, pointing lightly with his tail to Ravenkit and Ripplekit. Wrensong told him, and he nodded. "I like those names," The WindClan warrior mewed, bending down to lick each kit in turn. "Maybe we should name the ginger tabby Finchkit. He looks like a Finchkit to me."

"If that's what you wish," replied Wrensong, guiding the small ginger kit closer to her belly. "I like Finchkit for him, actually." She looked back up at Breezepelt. "B-before you bury Eaglekit, I need to know what we're going to do with these kits after... this whole IceClan thing is over. You'll be leader of WindClan, and where does that leave them? You'll be tempted to have them, don't try and hide it."

"We'll worry about that when the time comes," murmured Breezepelt, closing Wrensong's eyelids softly with his tail. "You already have enough going on right now. I'll bury Eaglekit. Sweet dreams, Wrensong, if you see our son in StarClan, tell him hello."

_Wrensong knew where she was the moment she fell asleep. She glared around the pine trees, looking for these pathetic cats called StarClan. How was she supposed to respect them when they gave her a false prophecy? They had told her that she could stop the plagues, but how could she have stopped the death of her firstborn? It wasn't fair for anyone. Now Mousepelt was kitless and that WindClan queen only has one. Wrensong was lucky that she had three more kits, but she still missed Eaglekit dearly. _

_As she weaved through the trees, she caught sight of the familiar huge, white pelt that she was looking for. Snarling, Wrensong shouldered through the thick pines and stepped in front of the former ShadowClan leader, growling. "You never warned me!" She yowled, not even caring to see if Blackstar was paying attention to her. "You never told me that a plague was coming; a plague that would kill every queens' firstborns! How could you be so cruel?"_

_Blackstar sat up and looked at her calmly. There was no trace of the aggression that lingered in his eyes the previous meeting, and Wrensong thought she saw pity in his expression. "There was no use telling you," He rumbled, shrugging his shoulders as if it were no big deal. "What would you have done, anyway? The kits died swiftly; not of Twoleg poison or sickness. You were powerless to stop it." He paused and mewed, "ShadowClan grieves for Eaglekit. He would have made a great warrior."_

_"Even though he's halfClan?" challenged Wrensong. Not allowing Blackstar to answer her question, she continued on her rant. "I thought I was supposed to stop these plagues, Blackstar, not sit by and watch kits die before my eyes. Why was I given this power if I can't do anything?"_

_"There are some plagues that you will be unable to stop," growled Blackstar. "It is not the other cats' jobs to stop the plagues. They have their own purpose. You, Wrensong, have the power to defeat the plagues. That is why the other cats do not receive dreams like you do. They have a different destiny." _

_Wrensong had already figured this out. She had supposed that Stoneheart's purpose was to spy and get information, and Leafstorm for battle. She wasn't sure about Galepaw's destiny, though; he could be useful both ways. Wrensong decided not to think about the destinies of other cats. "That's stupid," She growled. "I couldn't stop the fourth plague."_

_"That is the last you will be unable to stop," Blackstar responded. "It was a coincidence that your kits were born on that fateful day. Eaglekit is in good paws, Wrensong, do not worry about him. Tawnypelt and Rowanstar will treat him as if he is their own. Stop grieving and focus on what you were meant to do." _

_"I have kits," retorted Wrensong, narrowing her eyes. "I can't abandon them for some prophecy. I care about my kits. You wouldn't know, because you weren't a father and you didn't birth kits. You don't know what it's like."_

_"The kits weren't supposed to happen!" Blackstar flashed back, his eyes beginning to get cold and angry. "They're halfClan! ShadowClan will honor them, but it wasn't part of your destiny to have kits! That's what I was trying to tell you when I showed you Breezepelt. I underestimated him; I thought he would continue in the Place of No Stars, but he didn't. He is loyal to you, but you must put him and your kits aside in order to fulfill the prophecy and save the Clans."_

_Wrensong could do nothing but pretend to obey Blackstar. She supposed she had to treat him with some respect, although the fierce ShadowClan leader hardly deserved it. He was always yowling away at her about the prophecy. Couldn't he just do what normal dead cats did, and die instead of haunting her? "Fine," She growled. "What's the next plague?"_

_"The fifth plague is darkness," Blackstar murmured quietly, not taking his distant eyes off of Wrensong. "After the death of the firstborns, there shall be darkness for a day."_

* * *

**AN: Yeah, the plagues are pretty violent D: I got the idea from Religion class when our teacher was telling us about the plagues that helped the Israelites escape Egypt, and it intrigued me, so that's where the basis of this plot began. Some are based off of that story, like the darkness plague & death of firstborn. **

**Again, thanks for the reviews! I really appreciate it (:**


	34. T h i r t y T w o

**The Legacy of the Three: Chapter Thirty Two**

_Galepaw ._

_Galepaw was in a beautiful moorland that shimmered with stars. Scents of rabbits wafted through his nose, and Galepaw licked his lips. He wouldn't be going hungry tonight. Spotting a rabbit dashing through the grass, Galepaw gave chase. In StarClan, he was as fast as he was in the waking world. Almost immediately, he gripped the rabbit with his claws and killed it. The momentum drove him forward and he found himself tumbling down the slope. Galepaw rolled down the hill until he hit against a tree with an, 'oof!'. The rabbit had disappeared in his struggle._

_Galepaw got onto his paws and looked around. He wasn't in the moorland. Instead, he was in a dark, terrible forest. Rotten smells made the apprentice scrunch his nose and the peaty earth stuck onto his paws. Letting out a mewl of disgust, Galepaw padded forward, looking for a way out. He weaved among the dead trees until he emerged in a clearing. Two cats were battling there. Galepaw shrank against the trees until he had a good view of the cats._

_One was a huge, massive tom. White splashed his gray fur on his face and tail. His fur was very spiky, making him seem even larger. The cat he was sparring against was a lithe, light brown tabby. As she turned around, her heather-blue eyes gleamed. Galepaw felt his heart stop at that moment. No... this couldn't be true... the cat was his sister, Fogpaw._

_Suddenly, the cats broke apart. The spiked-gray tom fixed his amber gaze on the tree were Galepaw was crouching behind. Galepaw held in his gasp and crept under a patch of dead undergrowth so he would be better hidden. But the amber-eyed tom did not take his eyes off of Galepaw. "A visitor," He purred, licking his lips. Galepaw couldn't see what Fogpaw was doing from his angle. "Come out, apprentice. I will not harm you."_

_Galepaw knew he had no choice. Forcing himself to keep calm, he lightly padded out of the brambles and into the clearing. He glanced sideways and saw his sister gasp at him in awe. Galepaw felt ashamed; what was he doing here? "Who're you?" He asked the spiked tom bravely. _

_"Thistleclaw," mewed the tom, glancing at Fogpaw. "And this is Fogpaw, a student of mine - "_

_"I know," Galepaw growled shortly, glaring at his sister. "I'm her brother. Fogpaw, what are you doing here? Don't you know it's bad? This is the home of the cats who destroyed the Clans! Why are you training here?" Usually Galepaw wouldn't have been so brave, but he felt like he should stop his sister from coming here. He was one of the Four; could this be his destiny? To free cats from the Place of No Stars?_

_"Oh, you," snarled Thistleclaw, his eyes immediately becoming angry and cold. "Your father came here at one time for almost the same reason as your sister. He was being overshadowed, and no cat was paying attention to him. Your sister was being overshadowed by you, the great Galepaw. You were being trained by Onestar and Crowfeather, while she was being pushed aside. I sought her out, and she's becoming a better warrior than you'll ever be."_

_Galepaw glanced at his sister, but she was studying her paws. "Why didn't you tell me?" He rasped, ashamed that he would allow this to happen. "I-I could've helped! And you know that's not true, either. Cats like me because I run fast, but you were always the more popular littermate - "_

_Fogpaw's eyes suddenly flashed with anger and resentment. Galepaw took a step back, confused on why his sister was being so mean all of the sudden. They used to be best friends; had this speed thing really torn them apart that much? "And because you're a special cat in StarClan's eyes!" She hissed, her fur beginning to bristle. "Thistleclaw told me all about your dumb prophecy! Thistleclaw's the only cat that has ever cared about me."_

_"I care about you!" Galepaw nearly yowled, widening his eyes for emphasis. Galepaw never lost his temper, but Fogpaw was pushing him to the edge. She didn't understand that cats cared about her. Did she think that Galepaw wanted this power? Sure, it was cool, but he didn't like the responsibilities that came with it. He was supposed to save all four Clans; yet he wasn't sure how to even control his power. "More than you can imagine! Breezepelt's a little... you know, but it doesn't matter! How could you betray WindClan by siding with this evil cat?"_

_Fogpaw's fur had started to lie flat, but her eyes still blazed with defiance. "There is no more WindClan," She muttered, lashing her tail angrily. "Freezestar, the cat you're supposed to stop, destroyed that and everything we stand for. WindClan's over. We're IceClan warriors now." _

_Galepaw almost wailed aloud. His sister was turning into a brainwashed cat; the kind of cat that Freezestar was aiming to create. How could she be so stupid? She used to be the kindest cat he knew. "It still lives on in us," Galepaw murmured, almost to himself. "We can defeat him, Fogpaw. If all of the Clans unite, we'll kill him easily. Come on, Fogpaw, get out of this place."_

_Fogpaw looked betrayed, and her eyes darted from side to side. Shuffling her paws, she glanced at Thistleclaw nervously. "I-I thought you were doing me a favor, Thistleclaw… you told me you were a StarClan warrior, not a D-Dark Forest one…" Her eyes steadily grew bright with determination._

_Thistleclaw scrunched his nose, and his yellow eyes sparkled with an unreadable expression. Galepaw braced himself to fight the fearsome warrior; he unsheathed his claws and sank them into the ground as the Dark Forest cat spoke. "Did it matter to you?" He sneered, rolling his eyes. "I still taught you valuable moves that your Clanmates never taught you. Why would you want to leave me? I can still make you more powerful than your brother."_

_Fogpaw's eyes flashed with temptation, and she hesitated. Galepaw felt guilt sink in his stomach like a heavy stone. This was all his fault; if only he didn't show off. He hadn't noticed his sister's jealousy before, but now it was painfully obvious. "I - no," Fogpaw stammered. "No. I trusted you, and you're just a dark warrior looking for revenge. I would rather be a good, respected cat than a tyrant like you."_

_Thistleclaw's eyes flared angrily, and his fur began to bristle. He sank his long, curved claws into the peaty, dead grass. "Then leave, and never come back," He snarled. "I have no use for weaklings like you and your father and brother. Leave, or I'll kill you." Galepaw knew that the fearsome warrior was not lying._

_Galepaw's sister's mouth opened in fear, but Galepaw didn't stay long enough to find out what happened. The dream started to fade; the trees disappearing into the pale mist. Thistleclaw's smoldering eyes vanished as well. The last thing Galepaw saw before he plummeted into darkness was his sister's blue eyes, bright and wide with fear._

* * *

Galepaw awoke to darkness. Startled, he sat up in his nest and peered out of the window in the abandoned Twoleg nest. Was it still nighttime? Impossible. Glancing around, the former WindClan apprentice noticed that the other cats in the Twoleg nest were as surprised and confused as he was.

"Where's the sun?" Grassfeather's remaining kit, Blazekit, wailed from the floor above the warriors'.

Other warriors echoed the scared kit's words. Suddenly, every cat seemed to have awoken in the nest and was staring outside. Yowls of confusion and fear spread through the nest. Galepaw closed his eyes as chaos erupted. He felt a warm presence next to him. "What's wrong?" Fogpaw whispered, her voice scared.

"Hush!" A commanding voice rose among the cats. Galepaw opened his eyes to see Tigerheart and Breezepelt, the representatives of ShadowClan and WindClan respectively, on top of a ledge where they could be seen. Their bright amber eyes glowed commandingly as they addressed half of IceClan.

"The sun has disappeared," began Tigerheart. He seemed a bit nervous; his eyes flickered from the floor where the queens slept to the forest. _Is he worrying about his kits?_ Galepaw wondered. The ShadowClan representative seemed to stop glancing around as he continued his speech. "It has been nighttime for too long... and the stars and the moon are not here. We are in complete darkness."

"Is it like when the black disc covered the sun, all of those moons ago?" piped up a former ShadowClan warrior; Galepaw recognized the dark brown pelt and gleaming amber eyes of Toadfoot. Galepaw had heard stories of the great battle before the Dark Forest battle where all Clans had fought against each other, and how a troublesome loner predicted the sun's disappearance.

"No," This time, Breezepelt spoke. His eyes were focused on the floor where the queens and elders were, and Galepaw knew who he was thinking about this time. _Wrensong._ It was now known that Wrensong's kits were Breezepelt's; no cat could really say anything about it, though. They were all under one Clan now. Galepaw didn't really mind that Breezepelt had chosen a new mate; Galepaw always had the feeling that Heathertail and Breezepelt were never true mates. _I have new brothers and sisters up there._

Breezepelt waited for the murmurs and wails of confusion to stop. "It must be a sign from StarClan," He continued, his eyes darkening. "Maybe the darkness has to do with IceClan. Perhaps we will be stuck in blackness until IceClan splits into four Clans again; StarClan probably wants things back the way they are."

Galepaw's stomach tightened. Breezepelt had just made a potentially fatal speech. Would Freezestar's biggest supporters in the abandoned Twoleg nest rat Breezepelt out? Galepaw hoped not. _These sparks of rebellion may be just enough to start a war against IceClan... _

"Falconwing, Olivenose, Boulderclaw and Sedgewhisker will go report to Freezestar and find out what has happened," rumbled Tigerheart from the ledge. "Report back here. Let's send out some hunting patrols and see what they can find. If the forest is too dark, do not risk getting yourselves hurt. We have leftover prey to feed to the queens and elders."

At Breezepelt's approving nod, the four cats dashed out of the nest and towards the hollow. As Breezepelt called out the patrols, Galepaw trotted up towards the stairs. He was sure that this was a plague, and he needed to talk to Wrensong about it. Galepaw creeped through the sleeping forms of other queens and elders until he reached the familiar striped-brown pelt.

Wrensong was tending to her three remaining kits. One was jet-black like Breezepelt, the other a swirled-tabby-striped ginger, and the final was a mottled silver and gray kit with snow-white paws. Galepaw blinked, taking all of this in. _These are my brothers and sisters._ He reminded himself.

Wrensong looked up from washing her kits. "I assume you'll want to talk about the plague?" She asked lazily, licking down a tuft of fur that was sticking out like a thistle from the black kit's pelt. Galepaw almost didn't hear her question; he was too busy noticing how the kit was built just like Tigerheart, with strong shoulders and huge paws. He wasn't built like his father, that was for sure.

"Oh - uh, yeah," Galepaw mewed, pointing softly with his tail to the kits. "Your kits," He couldn't stop his voice from shaking. Everything was just so... strange. _Fogpaw was furious about these kits, _He recalled sadly. _But they're so innocent. I'm sure she'd love to meet them. She's very gentle around kits. _"What are their names?"

"This one's Ravenkit," Wrensong indicated to the black kit she was grooming. _Yes... I can see that... he's strongly-built, but his fur is sleek. _"The swirly-ginger tom is Finchkit, and the mottled silver and gray she-kit is Ripplekit. Her fur looks like little ripples in the water, don't you think?" She didn't give Galepaw a chance to reply. "I know these kits are your siblings, but we can't waste breath here. We need to talk about this plague. How do you think we can defeat it?"

Galepaw narrowed his eyes in thought. He didn't have the power to stop it; neither did Stoneheart. "I think this one's for you or Leafstorm," He meowed at last. "Leafstorm can change the course of time for himself... but I'm not sure that will help. Can you control things as powerful as the sun?"

Wrensong's bright green eyes were shocked. "Control the sun? T-that's a huge task, I'm not really sure..." Then, her expression hardened with determination. "Do you really think that'll work? Maybe we should consult with the other two just to find out, but they'd have to come here..."

"Where we can easily be heard," interrupted Galepaw. "Maybe you should explain your powers to me. Like, do you have to look at something to control it? Or can you sense it, and then control it?" He knew that Wrensong hadn't been in a right state lately, and they both were the thinkers of the Four. He had to take this into his own paws and get over his shyness.

"I-I can only see it. Sensing it would require a lot of energy and power... I don't think I'm capable of that," admitted Wrensong, bending down to nudge a straying Ripplekit closer to her belly. "But if there's no sun, how could I summon it back here? This plague..." She paused to lick her shoulder, "Is tricky. I wish we could just kill Freezestar and be done with it."

Galepaw tuned out her last few words; he was too busy thinking about how Wrensong could summon the sun. Could she summon clouds? No... But what about the sky? "I have an idea!" He gasped, remembering to keep his voice low. "What if... what if you summoned the sun to the sky? Like, went deep within the sky and yanked the sun out! If you get what I mean?"

Wrensong narrowed her green eyes in concentration. Finchkit wailed, but the she-cat was too deep in thought to notice. "That's a good idea," She mewed at last. "But it will take a lot of energy that I don't think I have. I haven't had much fresh-kill, and I need to feed my kits. They're my main priority right now. I-I can't let another die after Eaglekit..." She broke off as grief clouded her gaze.

"But you'll be _saving_ your kits," pointed out Galepaw. His gaze rested on a sandy queen he recognized as Mousepelt, who was grieving because two of her kits had perished. "If the darkness continues, we'll all starve. Perhaps you could hand over your kits to that queen over there while you do this?"

Wrensong's head swiveled towards Mousepelt, who was crouched in her nest, her muffled sobs echoing across the abandoned Twoleg nest. "Mousepelt?" She murmured to herself, looking thoughtful. "That may work, actually. She's very upset over her kits, but I hope she won't be offended..." Wrensong trailed off and called out to Mousepelt. "Hey, Mousepelt! Can you do me a favor and suckle my kits while I'm out for a bit? I feel really stuffed in here, so I need to stretch my legs." Galepaw was surprised how easily the lie came off of Wrensong's tongue.

Mousepelt looked up from her curled position. Her amber eyes were dull with sorrow, and her fur was ragged. Galepaw remembered that her brother, Hawkstrike, had been slaughtered in the battle to take over ShadowClan, and now her kits were dead. _Poor queen._ Galepaw couldn't imagine the grief she was going through. Mousepelt's eyes grew soft as she watched the three tiny scraps. "O-of course," She rasped, her voice scratchy as though it hadn't been used in days.

"Thank you," purred Wrensong, bringing over Ravenkit. Galepaw followed with Finchkit, and Wrensong went back to her nest and brought Ripplekit over. The three kits immediately suckled next to Mousepelt, who looked at them fondly. Galepaw was relieved when he saw no jealousy in the former ShadowClan she-cat's eyes.

"Let's go," Wrensong mewed more briskly. Galepaw followed the IceClan queen as she descended down the stairs and was about to exit the entranceway. However, a voice stopped her in her tracks.

"Wrensong!" Tigerheart called angrily from behind them. Galepaw and Wrensong whirled around as the ShadowClan representative stalked up to them, his eyes full of concern. "Where are you going?" He asked. "And where are the kits? Have they... died?" Galepaw sensed awkwardness coming from him. The tom probably knew who the father of the kits was. Breezepelt wasn't in sight, though.

"I need to stretch my legs," Wrensong repeated the lie to her father. Galepaw tried not to give anything away; he glanced around the Twoleg nest instead. Few warriors were still in their nests; most were peering out the windows and muttering to each other worriedly. "Mousepelt will take care of them for the time being. She has plenty of milk since her kits died."

Tigerheart nodded. "Alright... but it's dangerous..."

Wrensong didn't allow him to finish. "Let's go," She repeated, and launched out into the dark forest.

* * *

**AN: Sorry I was gone for so long! D: I had a vacation. Anyway, thank you SO much for all of the wonderful reviews! I love you all :) **


	35. T h i r t y T h r e e

**The Legacy of the Three: Chapter Thirty Three**

_Wrensong ._

Wrensong dashed into the forest, Galepaw on her paws. She had no idea where she was going; the darkness seemed to engulf her and trap her. Wrensong panicked; she wasn't used to having no light. There weren't even stars in the sky. _Do it for your kits, _A voice in her head willed her. _If nothing else, do it for them._ She thought of the three remaining kits she had left. What would happen if they did manage to defeat Freezestar? Would Breezepelt try and take them away, since he'd be the rightful leader of WindClan? _No._ Her instinct told her he wouldn't._  
_

Wrensong was so lost in thought that she hadn't paid attention to where she was going. The former ShadowClan warrior let out a yelp as she crashed into the tree head-first. The pain made her spin, and she collapsed onto the ground, wailing at the throbbing pain on her forehead. There was a patter of paws as Galepaw approached, but Wrensong hardly noticed. The dark world was spinning around her, and a dark, black wave threatened to take her.

"Wrensong!" Galepaw's call seemed to echo through her head painfully. Wrensong let out another wail, curling into a ball on the ground. "Wrensong, please get up! Wrensong!" Now, paws were gently shaking her side, making Wrensong even more dizzy. The black wave seemed tempting now; Wrensong could do with a rest.

But then a familiar, warm voice broke into her thoughts. "Wrensong! Are you alright?" In her spinning, confused world, Wrensong recognized the warm, pale amber eyes of Breezepelt. He didn't shake her like Galepaw; he only looked her in the eyes. "Wrensong... Galepaw, there's a large bump on her head..."

Wrensong hardly heard Galepaw's muffled reply. Breezepelt spoke clearly to her, however. "We must get her to Kestrelflight, or Jayfeather. Lightpaw. Some medicine cat that knows what they're doing. She shouldn't have been wandering around like this. Galepaw, why did you bring her out here? We have to get back, help me pick her up..."

"No!" gasped Wrensong, getting onto her paws. The world still spun, and she closed her eyes to stop it. The ground rocked beneath her paws. _Don't give into nausea. _"No," She repeated. "I cannot go back to camp. Galepaw and I have to do something right now." At Breezepelt's startled glance, she mewed quickly, "I'll be fine. I was just dizzy."

Her mate's eyes narrowed with suspicion. "What are you doing?" He asked simply, not taking his penetrating eyes off of Wrensong. Wrensong found when she focused on them, she didn't feel dizzy. She felt safe. She was so focused on not becoming dizzy that she almost missed Galepaw's reply.

"Something not bad, father, I promise," The dark tabby mewed, his light blue eyes not betraying anything. "She's fine, see?" He waved his tail to Wrensong, who tore her gaze from Breezepelt and looked at his son. She didn't miss the obvious trace of concern in his eyes, and she faintly realized that the apprentice must be worried that Wrensong wouldn't have the energy to complete her task.

"I'm not leaving," growled Breezepelt. "You can do whatever you're doing with me here. Wrensong needs to get back to our kits; I'm not having her get any more hurt than she already is." Wrensong was angry that Breezepelt was tagging along, but she understood his concern. _But __I'm not a helpless kit,_ She thought to herself.

Galepaw and Wrensong hung back as Breezepelt turned around, not waiting for an answer and walking towards the moorland. _The moorland is probably best, _Wrensong conceded, feeling less dizzy. _There, the trees won't get in the way when I'm trying to communicate with the sun._

Galepaw leaned over and murmured into her ear, "It'll be easier in the moorland," He echoed Wrensong's thoughts. "Hopefully we can distract him so he doesn't have to know the truth... about us, and the Four." Galepaw sounded confident, but Wrensong knew there would be no way to lure Breezepelt away. He would instantly be suspicious.

"No," Wrensong mewed, not trying to keep quiet. "We must tell him." Galepaw looked bewildered. "Look, he's the representative of WindClan, and he's already made it quite clear that he disagrees with Freezestar. He may be a big asset; we never know. But we can trust him. He would never betray you or I."

The dark gray tabby's blue eyes sparkled with thought, and after a moment, he nodded reluctantly. "I suppose you're right," He murmured, still in thought. "Here, let's tell him now." Raising his voice, he called, "Hey, Breezepelt!"

The black tom turned around, his confused expression betraying that he hadn't heard their conversation. "Yeah?" He asked, suspicion still glimmering in his eyes. _Please don't hate me after this, or think I'm a freak, _Wrensong prayed quietly to StarClan. _Please don't think badly of your son... or our kits..._

"We - we have something to tell you," Wrensong finally managed to stammer, unable to meet his gaze. "Galepaw and I... we're... we're part of a prophecy. Kind of like the Three, with Lionblaze, Jayfeather and Dovewing. We have these powers... and we're supposed to use them to stop the plagues and Freezestar. The darkness right now is a plague. The first born kits dying was a plague, and there will be more. We're - going off to stop the darkness now..."

For a moment, Breezepelt was silent, his expression unreadable. Then, a glimmer of jealousy and respect shone in his pale amber eyes as they widened with shock. "You... Galepaw? Just the two of you are going to defeat Freezestar?" His voice croaked; it seemed raspy with disbelief. "No way! Not the two of you. I can't lose you both."

"It's not both of us," Galepaw sounded faintly annoyed and impatient. Wrensong understood; she wanted to destroy this plague as soon as possible. That would only leave three more plagues including Freezestar. "There's two more. Each from one Clan..." He broke off there, glancing at Wrensong for support.

"... You can't stop us, Breezepelt," Wrensong continued, staring at her mate with love and determination. "I know you worry about us, but we have powers. We'll be fine. This is our destiny, and no cat can stop it." He didn't say anything, so Wrensong didn't stop talking. "We trust you not to tell any cat what we have just told you. We need your help, actually."

Breezepelt dipped his head, and Wrensong gasped in surprise. This was a huge sign of respect! "I will do anything to help," He whispered, his whiskers grazing his paws. "What do you need me to do?"

Wrensong glanced at Galepaw. They hadn't really thought anything out yet. Galepaw stepped forward. "We don't need you right now. Only to guard Wrensong while she stops the darkness," He waved his tail towards the former ShadowClan warrior. "But as the time comes to kill Freezestar nears, we'll need all of the help we can get."

"Do you think you can start to build a rebel army?" Wrensong asked Breezepelt. "There's a cat, Stoneheart, you know him. Tell him you're on the Four's side, and he'll immediately trust you. But you have to get him away from Freezestar to talk, which should be easy because you're a representative. Build an alliance with cats who want to rebel. When the time comes, we'll have an army to pick off Freezestar's biggest supporters as the Four try and kill Freezestar."

Breezepelt narrowed his eyes, raising his head from its dipped position. "Stoneheart?" He echoed disbelievingly. "He's killed so many cats, though. How can I trust him? More importantly, how can I get him away from Freezestar? They're attached to the tail; I'm not sure if I trust that tom."

"Stoneheart is one of the Four," replied Galepaw, his eyes glancing back up at the sky. Wrensong was concerned as well; she just wanted to defeat this plague and get the others over with. IceClan had survived for too long. "You just have to get him on patrol or something. But we don't need to worry about that now."

"Right now, I need to stop this," growled Wrensong, padding onto the moorland. Ignoring Breezepelt's surprised gasp, Wrensong focused on the sky above her. Delving deep into it, she searched for the sun. Suddenly, she began to twitch. She was losing control. Gasping, Wrensong tried to focus, but everything began to swirl around her. The dizziness returned, and she swayed on the spot.

_No! Don't give up! _Her mind willed her, but Wrensong simply could not focus on the sun. It was much too powerful. Staggering, Wrensong collapsed onto the ground with huffing breaths. _I cannot do it. I don't have the power to save the Clans. I don't have enough energy._

"Wrensong!" Breezepelt gasped, haring over to his mate. He helped her up and covered her with worried licks. "You were trembling and panting! It was terrible! You can't tire yourself out like this; think of the kits and yourself!" Glancing back at a horrified Galepaw, he mewed, "We have to take her home, _now_."

"No," breathed Wrensong, the world still spinning around her. "I must save our Clanmates and the Clans around the lake... i-if I do not do this, then we will be under Freezestar's grasp forever... must... bring back the light..." her gaze focused somewhere else, and Breezepelt drew in a sharp breath.

"Wrensong," Galepaw bounded up to his weakening friend. "You focused on bringing back the sun, didn't you? You didn't focus on the sky, right?" Wrensong nodded, dazed. "That's where you went wrong. No cat, even with a power like yours, could bring back the sun. It takes too much energy. You have to focus on throwing the darkness out. So, rid the darkness; don't bring back the sun. Do you get that?"

"Yes," Wrensong pushed herself to her paws and saw Breezepelt give his son a surprised but proud look. _He probably doesn't know his son is one of the most intelligent cats in the Clans. _The nauseous feeling was beginning to fade as Wrensong began to gain her energy back. "Alright," She meowed determinedly, glaring at the darkness. "I'll do what you suggested, but if it doesn't work... I'm not sure I'll have the energy to try again." Breezepelt let out a concerned mewl, but Wrensong ignored him.

She focused on the sky. Wrensong felt a presence of choking darkness; enough to engulf her. She felt herself trembling with fear and weakness; focusing on the sky was incredibly hard. Finally, when the darkness didn't seem so threatening, Wrensong focused on projecting her thoughts into the sky. _Remove the darkness._ She willed, gasping as a force of darkness knocked her to the ground, temporarily stunning her. But Wrensong got onto her paws and continued focusing; every thought made her even more dizzy. _Remove the darkness._

At the back of her mind, she heard shocked gasps and excited yowls. Now, the darkness in the sky was starting to ebb, but it still swirled around her. Finally, after a few moments, the darkness was being pushed away by a huge source of light that Wrensong could hardly sense it was so strong. _The sun! _She thought to herself, realizing what the presence of light meant. With a final gasp, Wrensong broke free of the sky's presence and fell to the ground. She never opened her eyes, though; she was knocked out from the effort.

Startled gasps surrounded her as she faded away into darkness.

* * *

_In this land, she sun shone brightly. Shafts of the outstanding light shimmered through the trees, scattering shards of light onto the ground, dappling the lush forest. Birdsong carried through the trees as a whispering breeze lightly shook the branches. The forest was in its greenleaf song._

_The brown striped she-cat absorbed the beauty of the forest; her emerald-green eyes sparkling at the starry trees. She hopped around, tracking prey and then abandoning it. She wasn't very hungry. As she pranced through the forest, a familiar scent reached her nose, but she ignored it. She was too focused on the beauty of the forest and how it shimmered and shined._

_A whisper broke apart the freedom the she-cat was feeling. "Wrensong," It called softly. Pricking her ears, Wrensong bounded towards the source of the noise. It wound through trees and over moors. Wrensong picked her way among the streams that curved around the forest and arrived in a hollow. The whisper was getting louder._

_A large number of cats were in the hollow. As she stood on the ridge of the slope, they all stared at her with expectant gazes. The whispers started again; Wrensong was tempted. Unable to stop herself, she bounded down into the hollow. The cats greeted her, and Wrensong realized that she recognized these cats. And they had stars in their fur._

_"Welcome, Wrensong!" All of the voices seemed to say at once. Hawkstrike bounded up to her, purring, Eaglekit bouncing after him. Wrensong was so surprised that she couldn't speak; she embraced Hawkstrike and fussed over her kit, who could not stop purring. _I never want to leave this place.

_"I've missed you, mother!" Eaglekit cried, his amber eyes alight with a new wisdom. Wrensong was bewildered that her son could speak; he was hardly a day old when he died. The remaining three kits hadn't even opened their eyes yet. "And I miss Ravenkit, Finchkit and Ripplekit a lot, too! But Hawkstrike takes care of me! Nightcloud likes to fuss over me a lot, too." Eaglekit glanced at the black she-cat, Breezepelt's mother, who was sitting beside a beautiful pool that reminded Wrensong of the Moonpool. She had visited as an apprentice._

_Hawkstrike dipped his head to Wrensong. "I never knew of your destiny while I was alive," He rumbled, his dark eyes glimmering with regret. "But, now I do. You're brave to come this far. I-I wanted to apologize for what I said. I know you don't forgive me, but I'm really sorry. I wish things could've been different, but I see how happy Breezepelt makes you feel. Perhaps we were just meant to be friends."_

_Wrensong flicked her tail awkwardly. "Er - yeah," She mumbled, glancing at her son, who was playing with Mousepelt's dead kits. "I forgive you, Hawkstrike. I'm sorry things had to be this way... but I'm glad you're taking care of my son." Eaglekit had the same pelt color and eyes of Hawkstrike; but he looked just like Tigerheart. He was smaller, and his eyes were lighter. His tabby markings were darker, and he wasn't as muscular as Hawkstrike. They could've passed as father and son, though._

_A ginger tom interrupted the reunion. Rowanstar! His amber eyes shone with pride as he dipped his head to Wrensong. Wrensong was appalled; why was a leader dipping his head to her? But he didn't give her the chance to protest. "Wrensong," The former ShadowClan leader mewed, his eyes warm. "I always knew there was something special about you. It's a shame you couldn't put your powers to further use."_

_Suddenly, everything around Wrensong began to spin as she heard Rowanstar's last sentence. What did he mean by that? "Uh, sorry?" She tipped her head to the side, indicating her confusion. "What do you mean 'couldn't put my powers to further use'? I'm just dreaming, right?"_

_"No," A gruff mew growled. Wrensong spun around and saw Blackstar staring at her with narrowed blue eyes. There was respect in its depths, and also regret, like Hawkstrike. "Wrensong, you're about to die. The summoning of the sun has dripped you of all energy." He ignored Wrensong's gasp. "Come with me. To be an official StarClan cat, you must drink from the pool to ensure your position here. We only do this ceremony for cats who are about to die."_

_Wrensong glanced around nervously. Yes - she wanted to be here, she wanted to see Eaglekit again, but she didn't want to _die._ She had three other kits and a mate. Wrensong had the Clans and the other three depending on her. She couldn't just leave. "But what if I want to leave?" The former ShadowClan warrior challenged Blackstar as he led her to the pool._

_Blackstar glanced back at her, looking strangely hopeful. "Then you can leave," He waved his tail to the top of the hollow. "However, I'm afraid you won't be able to see your loved ones until you die. You will never share dreams with them if you refuse. You will be gravely injured when you return to the Clans."_

_"Momma, you wouldn't leave me, would you?" Eaglekit was beside her, his amber eyes sad and his tail drooping. "I have Hawkstrike, but he's not my mother. I know you have a really big destiny and all, but I was hoping you'd stay with me and Hawkstrike. He likes you a lot, you know."_

_Wrensong felt an icy claw grip her heart. She loved Eaglekit, yes, but she had three other kits, a mate, and a destiny to fulfill. Yet, she couldn't bear to leave her kit for the second time. He was her first born and would always have a special place in her heart. In that moment, the beautiful forest sounds surrounded her, and Wrensong felt at peace. _How can I leave such a beautiful place?

_As she leaned down to drink from the pool, a yowl tore through the peaceful clearing. Wrensong glanced up, astonished, to find Jayfeather bounding towards her, his blind blue eyes wide and urgent. "Wrensong!" He hissed as he approached her. The small medicine cat pushed her over, away from the pool. "You must come back! The prophecy isn't complete. Come on." _

_Wrensong was torn in two; she looked from Eaglekit and Hawkstrike back to Jayfeather. Jayfeather narrowed his eyes. "These cats are dead, Wrensong. They're at peace. How could you want to die when you have three kits and a mate? And on top of that, a prophecy that must be fulfilled. Your destiny isn't over yet. If one of the Four dies, the prophecy will die, and terror will reign forever."_

_Casting one despairing glance back at her firstborn and former mate, Wrensong turned away from them. "Okay," She choked, hating the prophecy more than ever. "I-I'll go back."_

* * *

**AN: I'm so happy you all are enjoying the story :) I'm aiming for around 40-45 chapters, so it'll be finished soon. Also, I'm finished with the allegiances of the sequel (I had a strange itch to do them...) so right after I finish this, you'll see the sequel! I'm so glad that you all like the book! :)**

**Also, I will be on a five day hiatus. I have to do some camping thing for my school (it's required) so I won't be online. D: Sorry!**


End file.
